


Few Years Later

by marvelsquake



Series: One Year Later [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Birthday, Chapters are not in chronological order, Continuation of One Year Later, Did I mention fluff?, Dorks in Love, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Kid Fic, One-Shots, Pregnancy, TrainToAlaska is now marvelsquake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 30,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27268813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelsquake/pseuds/marvelsquake
Summary: This is a continuation in one-shots of my fic 'One Year Later', where we follow Daniel and Daisy in their adventures in parenthood and beyond! It will mostly be Dousy centered but everyone of the team will make a cameo (at least)!
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May, Skye | Daisy Johnson & Daniel Sousa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: One Year Later [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990870
Comments: 191
Kudos: 222





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! I couldn't stop myself to write Dousy in this 'verse I created, so I decided to continue on with one-shots! These will be mostly fluffy and vary in length. If you've read 'One Year Later', these will start pre-epilogue (so after the wedding) and will work towards the epilogue and continue on from there.
> 
> Thanks to my beta Wlammy for being amazing and of course Hecckyeah for the perfect moodboard!

“I can’t believe how much stuff we have,” Daisy groaned as she was sitting on the floor surrounded by piles of clutter, paper, clothes and toys. “I blame the baby.”

Daniel laughed, “We can’t _always_ blame the baby,” as he shook his head and tossed some old opened letters with the recycling, before going through another pile.

Daisy smirked, and continued sorting Charlie’s toys out. Many of them were never really played with and had been gifts from family and friends that kept on accumulating over the years. Charlie preferred her crayons, building blocks, and stuffed animals most of the time, so Daisy decided to donate a large part of it, hoping that some other kids could have a use out of it. 

Their just over one-year old daughter had been ‘helping’ sorting the toys out, but of course as any kid her age would, she just started playing with things she found or pulled them out from the box to put them in another pile like her mom was doing. A little later, it got quiet, and they had found her fallen asleep between the piles of discarded toys, and Daisy had brought her to her crib to nap a little more comfortably. 

Daniel then noticed the pile of baby clothes next to the donation box and quirked his eyebrow, “Those are for donations?”

Daisy hummed, “Sorting some of her clothes out, most of them don’t even fit her anymore,” as the pile consisted mostly of newborn onesies, from when they had gone a bit overboard with the shopping after they had returned home from space. 

“Oh,” he said. 

Daisy could sense by his body language that something was off. “Hey, I’m not going to donate them all, we just don’t need _that_ many,” she said and pointed at a neatly folded stack, the ones with sentimental value. 

“Okay, good,” he answered and smiled at her, but it didn’t really reach his eyes like it normally did. 

Daisy frowned, “Are you okay? You sound… off.”

“I’m okay, just thinking how happy I am with you and Charlie, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” and bent over and kissed her, “let’s get on with it before Charlie wakes up from her nap.”

“Alright,” Daisy answered, still a bit confused by the sudden change in his mood, but knowing him, she knew he’d tell her what was bothering him a bit later, so she let him be. 

After piling some more toys in the ‘donation’ box, Daniel suddenly let out a gasp and called for her, “Honey, look what I found.”

Daisy looked up to where Daniel was towering above her. They had been calling each other ‘honey’ as a joke. She had started it by calling ‘Honey, I’m home!” whenever she got back from work, but now it had kind of stuck, but neither of them minded the term of endearment. “What?”

Daniel held up his old leather bound notebook he used to carry around when they were still in space, where he documented everything in. He removed the elastic around it, and once again gasped and a big smile formed on his face. Tucked between the pages were the three ultrasound pictures that Diaz had taken when Daisy was pregnant with Charlie. Daniel sat wordlessly next to Daisy on the fluffy rug and carefully pulled them out. “I have been looking for these,” he said. 

Daisy put her hand on his knee and gave it a squeeze, as they stared at the grainy images in his hand. On top was was their very first sonogram, the 7-week one as it had been scribbled on the back. The picture was a bit bent and the corner was folded over, because Daniel had been carrying it around for quite some time in the front pocket of his shirt. 

“Look how _tiny_ she was,” Daisy said amazed as the picture didn’t show much besides a small bean-looking shape tucked away in the darkness of her uterus. 

Daniel nodded, and looked at her as he followed the shape with his thumb, “I was already so in love with that little bean.” 

Daisy nodded, “I remember,” as she thought back at how stunned he had been when he was introduced to an ultrasound for the first time, but his apprehension was quickly replaced with a wonder of hearing the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. 

She picked up the picture underneath it and smiled, it was the 14-week one, the picture she had also gifted to her sister who then later dropped the bomb on her that all the women in her family had only given birth to girls, for generations upon generations. 

“That’s when you had developed a bump,” Daniel recalled fondly.

Daisy chuckled, “The _tiniest_ of bumps.” 

“Still, first outwardly sign that she was in there,” 

“Yeah,” Daisy breathed out, flipping to the third and last one which had been done not long before she had gone into labor, showing a complete looking baby with tiny fingers and toes, already sucking on her thumb. “I still can’t believe we pulled it off; going on missions while pregnant… almost bringing Z3 down while giving birth, then having a newborn on board without any supplies…” She then shook her head, “Was worth it, though…” thinking of her happy baby, napping in her crib.

Daniel smiled and shook his head, “It’s already been over a year, time flies.”

Daisy breathed out, “Sure does,” and rested her head on his shoulder as they silently kept staring at the three ultrasound pictures in his hands. 

“I’ll add them to the baby book, later,” Daniel finally said.

Daisy smiled. He had not been on board with the modern development of not having physical picture books anymore, so he had meticulously crafted a baby book and printed out all of the photos they had taken while still on Z3, and also when they had already gone back to earth, filling the pages with their friends and family holding Charlie. The photographs showed the baby from when she was still a newborn up til 15-months old, her current age. “You do that,” she said with a smile, while they remained sitting on the floor, each lost in their own thoughts. 

After a few minutes, Daisy silently reached out to one of the pictures in his hands, and held it closer to her face, and with a soft smile muttered, “I want another one.”

Daniel tensed, “ _What_?” 

Daisy sat up, and looked into his stunned dark eyes, “I mean, unless you don’t want to, or want to wait?”

Daniel blinked, “No, no. I mean… I thought,” he let out a chuckle, staring at her equally confused face, “Of course I want another baby.”

Daisy gave him a nod, and with a relieved smile, she explained “I know we’ve been talking about adoption, and I still want to go down that route for sure, but I also want to experience this again,” as she tapped on the sonogram picture, “but on earth,” she added and chuckled, “You know… without the stress and guilt.” 

Daniel’s stunned face turned into a grin, “I’d love to experience it all again, have another baby with you, I just,” he shook his head, “when I saw you get rid of all the newborn stuff, I just thought -“

It suddenly dawned on her, “Oh you thought I didn’t want to have another baby because of… right.” she let out a chuckle, “No, I just wanted to sort some stuff out, most of those we didn’t even put her in.”

“Okay,” he said elated, letting out a deep breath.

Daisy chuckled, “Okay,” she repeated.

“Another _baby_ …” he said with a goofy smile on his face.

“Yeah…” she breathed out, “would be nice for Charlie to have a sister.” she answered, thinking of the two people in her life she considers her sisters, and how she wanted the same for her daughter. “How do you feel about a house full of girls?” she said with a grin.

“Oh, I love it,” he said genuinely, the same loving goofy smile still plastered on his face.

Daisy shook her head, as she couldn’t help but kiss the smile off his face, cupping his cheeks between the palms of her hand as she did, until their moment was interrupted by an angry cry coming from the nursery where Charlie had woken up and demanded to be taken out of her crib. 

They both let out a chuckle, and Daniel shook his head, as he got off the floor, “Soon we’ll have to deal with this, times two.”

Daisy snickered, but then her face softened. “Can’t wait.”

“Me too,” he breathed out, and left to get his unamused daughter from her bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! Like promised there will be two one-shots this week because they're fairly short. The next one will be up on Thursday, enjoy!

Daisy walked out of the bathroom and looked at Daniel, who was sitting on their bed, his hands folded in anticipation, and stared into his hopeful eyes but she shook her head. She hated having to disappoint him, but held up the white plastic stick. “Not pregnant,” she sighed.

Daniel released a deep breath, trying to hide his disappointment from her to spare her the pain. She, of course, had been just as excited about adding a second child to their little family as he was, and he extended his hand to her. Daisy dropped the negative test in the bin and shuffled closer to him. She took his hand in hers, climbed on his lap, and rested her head against his shoulder. 

“I just don’t get it,” she said, “with Charlie we got pregnant while even on birth control, but now… it’s already been _months_.”

“I know,” he said and kissed the top of her head, “but we will, it already happened once before, this one is just taking her time.”

Daisy smiled wistfully, “I just really thought I was pregnant… my period is late, I was queasy last night,” and then looked up at him, with a halfhearted grin, “and it’s not for the lack of _trying._ ”

Daniel let out a hearty laugh, “Shh, there is a _child_ in the room next to us,”

Daisy chuckled, “Like she understands…”

Daniel gazed into her eyes, and leaned in to kiss her, before resting his forehead against hers, “It’s going to happen.”

Daisy put her hand on his cheek and nodded, “I know, I just got my hopes up.”

Daniel smiled, “Me too.”

It didn’t take long before their daughter had made her way from the nursery where she had been playing, her step not wobbly and unsteady anymore, but confident and fast. The toddler had a big smile on her face while holding a plush ball, and called out for her mama and when she noticed her father was there too, babbled an equally excited ‘Dada’.

Daisy chuckled, “Hi baby,” and bent over while still sitting on Daniel’s lap to grab the happy toddler and put her on hers. “Were you playing with your ball?” 

“Bagel,” the toddler answered proudly.

Both parents laughed, “No, ball. Can you say ball?”

“Bagel,” she repeated, thoroughly enjoying having both her parents’ faces so close to hers. She attempted to throw the soft ball, but her limited hand-eye-coordination caused her to hit it against Sousa’s nose.

“Ouch, baby, be careful,” he chuckled, rubbing his face with his one free hand, exaggerating for comical effect. 

Charlie tilted her head and empathically asked “Bagel?”, while grabbing her dad’s nose with her little hand. Daisy stroked the toddler’s back and said “Aw, look at poor daddy,” and pecked Daniel on the cheek. 

Charlie mirrored her mother, leaned forward and pecked him on the other cheek. 

“All better now,” Daniel proudly declared, and wrapped his arms around both his girls. Charlie clapped her hands and Daisy sighed, the disappointment still lingered in the pit of her stomach but at the same time she felt so grateful for her little family. Daniel lovingly brushed away the hair from her face, laid his cheek against her head, and as if he had read her mind, said “I guess it being just the three of us for another month isn’t so bad after all…”

“What do you think, Charlie?”, Daisy asked the toddler who rested her head against her dad’s warm chest. 

Her little voice sounded from behind his arms. “Bagel.”

“That’s what I thought”, Daisy agreed with a smile and looked up at Daniel, who smiled back at her and she shook her head. 

They both chuckled as they suddenly heard her stomach let out an audible growl.

“Maybe a bagel isn’t such a bad idea,” Daniel commented and cocked his eyebrow.

Daisy let out a deep breath and pushed herself off his lap, while still holding on to Charlie, “Only if you make your specialty,”

“Daisy, they’re just cream cheese bagels,”

“Sounds perfect,” she commented, giving him a smirk.

Daniel let out a mock sigh, “Of course,” and pushed himself off the bed and followed his wife and daughter downstairs to the kitchen, pausing for a second and glanced in the bin where the negative pregnancy was disposed of and slowly shook his head, silently hoping that the pink line would form into a plus sign next month.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and let me know if you enjoyed it! I have made myself a timeline for this fic if you guys are interested lol and until Thursday!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! Like promised this is the second one for this week! I've been really enjoying writing these shorter ones, gives a little more time to breathe lol. 
> 
> I think we all can use some fluff right around now, so I hope you enjoy!

Daisy took a deep breath, and tried to control her shaking hands as she wiped the stray tear from her cheek with her sleeve. She could hear Daniel babble with their daughter and the rattle of his keys as he opened the door. It was so cute to hear how he talked to Charlie; his enthusiasm and interest in the incoherent babbling of their daughter, it was almost like they had a language of their own. He walked in with Charlie on his hip, his own bag and the diaper bag around his shoulder

“Here we are, baby, let’s- “, he jumped as he noticed Daisy, “My word, I hadn’t expected you home yet!” he said, readjusting the hold on his daughter who was already reaching out her little arms for her mother.

Daisy chuckled at the ‘my word’ and made a funny face at their daughter. She took the toddler, who was babbling an excited ‘mama’, and cuddled her, brushing the dark hair from the child’s face. “Did you have a fun day?” she asked, listening intently to Charlie’s enthused response.

Daniel put the heavy bags down and took off his coat, hung it up by the door and returned with some drawings in his hand, showing them off with a raised eyebrow, “We have a little artist on our hands, I tell you.” Daisy looked at the scribbles on the colored paper and let out a chuckle as she watched him put it on the fridge with a magnet. He then hummed and turned around, leaning against the kitchen counter, and wondered “I thought you had training sessions all afternoon, today?”

Daisy cleared her throat, “I did,” and let the toddler back onto her feet, and watched as she ran off to the play corner where she immediately went to pull out all the toys from the basket. “But um… I had a hunch, asked Kora to cover for me.”

Daniel frowned, “A hunch?” he asked, but then suddenly noticed how his wife’s eyes were rimmed red, as if she had been crying, and he blinked, “Oh…”

Daisy slowly nodded, and Daniel walked up to her immediately pulled her into his arms, tightly against his chest. “I thought we’d share these things? I know you don’t want to disappoint me, but we are in this together,” he murmured into her hair.

Daisy smiled and shook her head, pushing herself from his chest to be able to look him in the eyes. “Daniel, could you please stop being your perfect damn self for one second, and let me speak?”, she demanded as a grin spread on her face.

Daniel’s brows knitted together, “What?” he asked confused.

Daisy nervously reached for her back pocket and revealed the white plastic stick and handed it over to her husband. Daniel’s eyes grew big as he wordlessly took the test from her and gasped as he saw the bright pink plus sign, “Is this… Are you?”

Daisy hummed and nodded, “Pregnant.”

He stood stunned, his body unmoving and his jaw ajar until his facial expression slowly formed into a big grin as the news sunk in. “You’re _pregnant_ …” he almost whispered, shooting a quick glance at her midsection as if a bump would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Daisy responded to his gaze by putting her hand on her flat belly and nodded, “We’re having another baby, Daniel.” she breathed out. 

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he immediately pulled her into his arms, picked her up with ease, and spread joyful kisses on her face. Daisy let out a happy shriek from suddenly being hauled into the air but enjoyed his enthusiasm and let out a hearty laugh. 

“I assume you are happy with the news?” she joked as he had put her back on her feet. 

In response, he pressed a firm kiss on her lips and released a deep breath, “Are you kidding me? This is the best news, a baby sister for Charlie… growing our little family, it’s what we wanted.” 

Daisy nodded, a bit dizzy from all the excitement and leaned against the counter. She looked at her daughter who was more interested in her wooden blocks than her parents’ sudden burst of happiness. 

“So, you said you had a hunch, what was it?”

Daisy shrugged and smiled awkwardly. “Well, I suddenly felt like throwing up when I was in a meeting for the Afterlife program, so I ran to the bathroom… it was kind of embarrassing,” she said as she reached out for her husband’s tearstained cheek and brushed along his jaw. He was staring at her with so much adoration at that moment, she didn’t want to continue talking about being hunched over the toilet bowl at work with her knees on the tiled floor. 

Daniel nodded and placed his hand on hers, and brought it down, entangling their fingers, “How’re you feeling?”

“Bit queasy, but fine.” She let out a deep breath, and added, “Mostly overwhelmed.”

Daniel nodded, still with a grin on his face and Daisy shook her head, suddenly feeling a wooden block being tapped against her knee and she looked down at her daughter who clearly wanted some attention. Daisy bent down to grab her and put the toddler on the kitchen counter, her little legs dangling off the edge.

“You’re going to be a big sister, Charlie,” Daniel singsonged to the toddler who continued banging on the surface of the counter with the wooden block, oblivious to the life changing notion. “You’ll have to share your toys.”

_That_ remark made the toddler look up. She held the block against her chest in her little chubby hands and frowned, and let out a resounding “No.” 

Both parents laughed, and Daniel couldn’t help but think how much Charlie looked like Daisy when she frowned. “We’ll have to work on it,” he said with a shrug. 

Daisy nodded and exhaled. “I am _so_ glad we don’t have to do this in space,” she said earnestly to her husband whose eyes widened at the mere idea of having to go through it a second time. In a low voice, he admitted, “I don’t think I could do that again… the stress.”

“The _stress_.” Daisy repeated him and walked over to the fridge and pulled out a pint of ice cream, “and the no ice-cream.”

“Daisy, we’re having dinner in an _hour.”_

“So what?” she said with a smirk as she grabbed a spoon and ate a mouthful of the rocky road, digging in for a second time and offering it to him.

Daniel took a bite, and shook his head. If he had learned one thing from the first pregnancy, is that you don’t come in between Daisy and her cravings, “Guess dinner can wait.” 

Daisy pointed the spoon at him, “Exactly.”

She fed a little to Charlie, who hummed audibly when she tasted the sweet treat, and Daisy defended herself with a grin, “We _have_ to celebrate don’t we?”

Daniel pulled his wife closer for a frosty kiss, and savored the sweet taste of the ice cream and her soft lips. With a warm smile, he agreed “We sure do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment if you like and until next week :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! The epilogue from my previous fic One Year Later fits in between the last chapter and this one :) From now on I will not really upload in order anymore, but I will let you know beforehand so you won't be confused (might even add the ages of the kids)
> 
> Enjoy!

Lazily, Daisy went down the last of the stair steps, and let out a big yawn before stumbling towards the dinner table where her forgotten tea had already cooled down. It had been a long day, and she sighed as she sat down and stared at the thick envelope in front of her, yet to be opened. 

She looked up when the backdoor suddenly opened and her husband walked in. “Nice walk?”, she joked. His coat was drenched from the rain with droplets falling onto the tiled floor.

Daniel put the hood down with a grin and admitted, “Could’ve done without the rain,” and whistled. The dog who had already shaken himself dry on the porch, came sprinting in and ran straight to his bed in front of the fire place, and rested his head contently. 

Daisy chuckled, “You were the one who wanted a dog.”

Daniel hung his coat to dry and smirked, “Like you don’t love him.”

Daisy grinned, and looked at the border collie-mix who wagged his tail when they made eye-contact, “Yeah, I do.”

Unlike Daniel, Daisy hadn’t grown up or ever owned a dog or any other pet, so she never really desired to add a dog to their family. But when seeing Daniel and their kids light up when they spotted the dog at the pound, it didn’t take long before she fell in love with the animal too, that Daniel aptly named Zephyr. 

“How’d the kids go down?” Daniel asked as he stepped to the kitchen and put on the kettle for tea, and to sterilize the bottles.

Daisy sighed, “Sarah went fine after her feed, but she was already sleepy, Charlie though…” she sighed.

“Let me guess, she wanted you to read that Captain Marvel picture book three times, before she fell asleep,”

Daisy chuckled, “Exactly, it is as if she is actively  fighting sleep.”

He walked up to her and replaced the cold cup of tea with a hot one, and pressed a kiss on top of her head. “Hmm, she gets that from her mom.”

Daisy gave him a playful push, before Daniel returned to the kitchen to rinse out the bottles and pacifiers that had been dropped and strewn all over the place, to clean them for the next day. 

Daisy looked up as she heard her phone vibrate and gasped when she opened the text from Jemma.

“What is it?” Daniel asked curiously.

Daisy turned her phone to him which showed a sonogram picture, “Jemma just had her 20-week scan, they just found out they’re having a little boy, how  cute !”

Daniel smiled brightly, “He’s gonna be such a handsome little chap,” and placed the bottle on the drying rack, before continuing cleaning the next one.

Daisy nodded, returning Jemma’s text and placed the phone back on the table with a smile, “I love how our family keeps growing, first Mack and Elena with their second one, and now Fitz-Simmons.”

Daniel nodded, smiling too as he put the last of the items on the drying rack. He dried his hands and sat down next to Daisy at the table. “And a third one for us,” he said, and reached for the untouched thick envelope, sliding it towards them.

Daisy hummed in agreement, eyeing the envelope in from of them. It arrived in the mail that morning but with their hectic work and family schedule, they hadn’t even been able to open it yet.

“Are we crazy for wanting to add even more kids to our family?” 

Daniel shrugged, “Perhaps a little... but it’s going to be great.”

Daisy nodded and proceeded to open the envelope that was filled with heavy documents stapled together. “We have to figure out what we’re open to, and what not,” Daisy said as she skimmed the dizzying list. 

Daniel hummed as he read through the first paper with the detailed information, and nodded, turning the page to the other side where the fees of the adoption professional they had chosen were displayed. He raised his eyebrows, modern prices were still unbelievable to him, even after already living for a few years in the 21st century, and adoption wasn’t cheap.

“Gender preference?”

Daniel put the paper down and shrugged, “I don’t care,”

“You don’t want a boy?”

“I would love to have a boy, but I also would love to have another girl, especially in these times  and with you as a mom, I don’t see how having a son would be much different than having another daughter.”

Daisy smiled at him and shook her head, crossing the ‘no preference’ box, “You’re too perfect, you know that?”

Daniel smiled back, and they continued discussing the pro’s and con’s of different options.

“Age preference?”, Daisy read, and looked up pensively, “I don’t have to have a newborn per se, maybe an older kid could be nice... but they also have their baggage, which we need to be prepared for.”

She swallowed, thinking back to her childhood and the many foster parents she had, if only one of them had given her a chance… of course she now knew that it was SHIELD’s doing that she was never permanently placed, but at the time she was a very lonely kid longing to have a family.

“Actually, I think we should go for an older kid.”

Daniel could see how much it meant to her, and he agreed, “I think so too,” and put his hand on her knee. It always hurt him to think of his wife as a lonely child at the orphanage. In fact, it was one of the reasons they had decided to first try to adopt domestically.

They were discussing various illnesses and mental conditions when Daisy gasped and dropped her pen.

“What’s wrong?”

Daisy pointed at the unchecked box next to the word ‘possible Inhuman, or other superhuman abilities’ “They… have an inhuman box.”

Daniel frowned, “How do they even really know if the kid is inhuman?”

“Maybe they accidentally have come in contact with the crystals, or the parents are known inhumans?” Daisy muttered, feeling her body suddenly shake. It was confronting to see the thing that made her unique, and their own two daughters inherited from her, described as an optional adherent for being adopted. 

“Those poor kids,” Daisy said with a heavy heart, and she thought of her plan to run an Afterlife 2.0 from the lighthouse with her sister, and the many confused new and potential Inhumans that were going to stay there, and how even more confusing it was for a child.

“Maybe we should go for the Inhuman kids?” Daniel suggested, “You’re an expert, and we already have two of them ourselves…”

Daisy suddenly felt herself getting emotional, and looked into his genuine eyes.

“You’d want that?”

“I think it’s fitting,” he said with a determined nod, “We should contact the agency, put in a request once we’re approved,” and he put his hand on hers.

Daisy swallowed down the lump in her throat, and uttered with tears in her eyes “I love you.”

She pulled him close for a kiss, which he reciprocated with a smile. Their kiss got interrupted by a wet nose pressing against her hand beneath the table, and they parted with a chuckle. Running her hand through the dog’s fur, she cooed “I love you too, Zeph.”

“Come on, boy,” Daniel said as he scooted a backwards a little and patted his lap, where the dog promptly jumped on and sat down, practically blocking his view, and Daniel put his arms around the canine, rubbing the dog’s chest. 

“He’s too big to be a lap dog,” Daisy said and chuckled as she brushed her hand over Zephyr’s smooth head, and Daniel held the dog closer and a bit to the side so he could see his wife again. “You know, you two have the same puppy dog eyes,” Daisy commented as she shook her head with a grin. 

“Both irresistible right?” Daniel joked, cocking his eyebrow with a smirk.

Daisy jokingly rolled her eyes, “Sure,” and suppressed a yawn, “Let’s finish this tomorrow, okay?” as she gestured at the still thick bunch of papers lying on the table that they had to go through.

Daniel nodded and gently pushed the dog off of his lap. “Let’s go to bed,” he instructed the dog to go back into his bed for the night.

“Not before you take a shower,” Daisy said with a chuckle, pointing at the muddy paw prints all over his pants, shirt and even arms.

“Care to join me?”

Daisy hummed, “Maybe I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it, comments are always v appreciated and until next week!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! Enjoy! 
> 
> Please read the end notes after you're done reading <3

”Daniel?”, Daisy called out as she stepped into his office without warning, Daniel sat up in shock and dropped the pen he had been writing with. “Hey… Hi,” he answered confused, “What are you doing here? Kids okay?”

Daisy let out a deep breath and reassured him, “Kids are fine,” and closed the door behind her. She remained on her spot, fiddling with her sleeve, and he watched her just stare at him. 

“Daisy?” he tried, as it was highly unlike her to just barge into his office. They worked in the same place but had different jobs and tasks and rarely saw each other outside of lunchtime.

Daisy sighed, and rubbed her face, “I just had my yearly physical.”

Daniel got up from his chair slowly, and nodded. The yearly physical was mandatory for every SHIELD agent, high ranking or not, to make sure everyone was in good health. “Are… you okay?” he asked, worried when he noticed how pale and frazzled she looked. 

Daisy gave him a nod, and sighed, “I’m… fine. I promise.”

Daniel let out a relieved breath, “Okay, good.” He tilted his head. She didn’t  look fine. “Then what is it, Daisy?”

She groaned, “It’s just that… They told me I’m…” she sighed nervously, “I’m pregnant.” 

She released an audible breath, relieved to finally have it off her chest.

Daniel went slack jawed. “You’re… you’re  pregnant ?”, he stuttered.

Daisy slowly nodded, “Yep.”

“But Sarah is only…”

“Yep.”

“We didn’t even…”

“Nope.”

“But you’re on…”

“Yep.”

He blinked at her and frowned sympathetically, “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

She sighed again and nodded, placing a hand on her belly with a soft smile, and sat down on the edge of his desk. “Look, I don’t mind having another baby, it’s just that it’s so soon after Sarah, she’s not even a year old... Besides, we have just began the adoption process, and I was really looking forward to that.”

“Me too,” Daniel said quietly, and gathered her in his arms before lovingly pressing a kiss on her temple. “But doesn’t mean we have to stop that,” he continued optimistically, “they told us it was going to be a  long process, and we’re only at the paperwork stage.”

Daisy nodded and buried her face in his soft green cable-knit sweater and took in his familiar scent and warmth. “I know,” she replied, and looked up, resting her chin on his chest. “We did say we wanted a big family, right?” she said with a sigh and a smile. 

Daniel squeezed her tighter in his arms and kissed her. “The girls are going to love having another baby sister,” he said with a smile, and cupped the side of her head in his hand and brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. “How’re you feeling about it?”

Daisy hummed and reached up for another kiss. 

“I’m excited, I promise. I was just shocked,” she said with a chuckle, “I just  really didn’t expect it.”

“No signs?”

“Well, my boobs have been tender, but I figured that was because I am still breastfeeding Sarah, tired of course, but that’s not that weird with Sarah’s teething and Charlie’s tantrums...” Daniel shook his head in agreement, it had been a hands on couple of weeks.

Daisy pondered, “I was a little queasy maybe, but I wasn’t really that sick when I was pregnant the last time around…”

Daniel nodded and brushed the hair from her face. “It’s going to be great, we can handle it.”

“I know we can.”’

“Any idea how far along you are?”

“I am guessing between a month or two, not sure, I still have to make an appointment with my OB.” Daisy chuckled, “She’s going to be so annoyed that I got pregnant again so soon.”

Daniel shrugged, “She knows these things happen.”

Daisy placed the palms of her hands on his chest and nodded, “Yeah,” and looked up at him, “Isn’t it weird we get pregnant like in an instant when it is unplanned, but with Sarah it took  months ?”

Daniel laughed, “Yeah, I guess we should use birth control whenever we  want  to get pregnant, not when we don’t…”

Daisy groaned and reluctantly let go of his embrace, brushing a hand through her hair. “Alright, I’ll call my OB, and make an appointment and I’ll text you, okay?”

Daniel nodded, “Okay.”

A deep breath escaped Daisy. She smiled at him, and got on her tippy toes for a lingering kiss. “Another baby…” she mused with a chuckle and shook her head.

Daniel simply smiled at her, and watched her leave his office. He knocked on the surface of his desk and sat back down on the chair. He stretched his legs and sighed. Such big and unexpected news... A smile crept on his face as he stared at the picture frames on his desk. One photo was their wedding picture surrounded by the lovely colored trees, with Daisy holding baby Charlie. The other picture was one of them where Daisy was heavily pregnant with Sarah and him with Charlie on his lap, which was a random picture taken by Coulson, and it was his favorite. The third one was from when they went camping not so long ago, and his daughters were playing in the sand. 

“Another baby…” he breathed out, while resting his face on his hand, leaned over the beloved photographs. He couldn’t help but smile, knowing he’d be adding another picture to his desk soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ: Sadly I won't be uploading weekly anymore because I simply can't combine it with my new job... Writing was starting to feel like a chore, and I don't want that, I want it to be fun bc I love it so much!
> 
> I also noticed there hasn't been as much excitement around it from people like it used to and i am not blaming anyone for that, it doesn't have the long chapters like OYL does and SHIELD has been off the air for some time now, so I really get it! I will still have some chapters half finished and stuff so I will keep uploading, just maybe not as frequent anymore, I hope you guys understand.
> 
> Leave a comment if you like <3 and until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ: this chapter is angsty! It was an idea that wouldn't leave my mind. If you are triggered or sensitive about subjects like blood, miscarriage etc. I advice you not to read. It does have a happy ending though! I have been nervous to post it, it will probably be my last angsty chapter.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Blood, mentions of pregnancy loss/miscarriage!

Daisy let out a hiss, furrowing her brows as she slowly awoke from her slumber. Her lids felt heavy from sleep when she opened her eyes, and felt her body aching. She couldn’t make out much in the midnight dark, except for the moon faintly shining through the curtains illuminating Daniel’s peacefully sleeping face. With her brain still foggy, she removed his arm that was draped over her, and brought her hand to her lower abdomen. Her blood ran instantly cold as he realized the source of her pain, and a panic set in. With her heart beating in her throat she fumbled with the light switch to her bedside lamp and turned it on. Daniel woke up from the harsh light and mumbled something, asking what was going on. Daisy let out another hiss from the heavy cramps, her hand firmly pressed against her stomach while the other was holding onto his arm and she looked at him, her face contorted from the pain, “It _hurts_.”

Daniel sat up at an instant. “Where?” he asked worried, the sleep from his face vanished and replaced with concern.

Daisy swallowed and removed the blanket from her lap with a trembling hand. Both of them inhaled sharply when they were faced with her blood stained thighs and sleep shorts, the sheets beneath her painted crimson red. “ _Daniel_ ,” she uttered, her eyes wide as she numbly grazed with her hand along her inner thigh, tinting her fingers, “the baby.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened in a tragic determination as he stared into her eyes. He gave her a quick nod, “I am calling the hospital.” and jumped out of bed and hurried to Daisy’s side to help her get up to her feet. She groaned softly as she shuffled to the bathroom, while Daniel dialed the nearby hospital with unsteady hands, staring at the stained sheets. 

Daisy shakily removed the ruined shorts and underwear and dumped them in the sink, and numbly stared at the fabric in her hands beneath the stream of water as she tried to get the blood off, coloring the water pink. She then shuffled towards the toilet and groaned as she sat down, hunched over, it feeling like the worst menstrual cramps she’d ever had.

She could hear Daniel speak on the phone, describing her symptoms, long pauses in between before he responded and ended the phone call with a “We’ll be there as soon as we can.” Only a moment later, he came into the bathroom with a clean pair of her underwear and a pair of sweatpants. He turned off the running water and kneeled before her. “I explained everything, and they’re urging for us to come in,” he said in a calm voice. He handed her the clean clothes, “Here. Do you need any help?”

Daisy shook her head, and whispered “Charlie, Sarah?”

Daniel nodded, “I’ll ask Kora, okay?”

Daisy nodded and took the clothes from Daniel. She couldn’t stand looking into his worried dark eyes and stared at the clothes in her hand instead, and proceeded to put them on. Daniel briefly put his hand on her knee, knowing that if he offered her more of his touch, they’d both wouldn’t be able to stay composed. He got up, swallowed and eventually left to the guest room where Kora had been staying. They were working on setting up an Afterlife 2.0., and since Kora’s girlfriend was in Washington for a few weeks, it made sense for Kora to sleep over at the Sousa residence, a fact for which Daniel was especially grateful right now.

Daisy heard her sister’s muffled voice through the wall, and even though she was not able to make out the words, the concern in her voice was audible. Daniel must’ve urged Kora to stay put, because he returned alone a few minutes later, now dressed in the clothes that she recognized from the day before. He gave her a nod, indicating that it was taken care of. Daisy got up and slipped into her shoes, her hand still firmly placed on her stomach where the cramps continued to cause her pain. With their hearts beating in their throats, they rushed out of the house and into the car, driving off to the nearest hospital.

* * *

Silently, Daisy sat in the car while Daniel sped through the sparse midnight traffic. The streetlights flashed by, almost to a dizzying degree, yet it was all she concentrated on. It was just enough of a distraction from the pain; not so much the physical aching, but more the hurt for their unborn baby. She shook her head, and refused to let her mind go there, even though, deep down, she couldn’t think of many other explanations, other than the worst one. 

She dared to look up at her husband; his jaw was visibly clenched as he was concentrating on bringing them in the quickest and safest way to the hospital. “Daniel, if this baby…” she just said as she watched his rigid face. He quickly glanced at her and placed his cold hand on her knee. “We’ll be right there,” he breathed out, and focussed back on the road, his knuckles white from holding the steering wheel. 

* * *

Daniel quickly parked the car and they hurried into the emergency room, where he told one of the nurses what was going on. Daisy couldn’t stand the pitying look on the nurse’s face as she helped her into a wheelchair. Closely followed by Daniel, the nurse wheeled her to a room, where they were asked to wait for the doctor, who’d be there soon. The hospital noises were drowned out as the door fell shut behind the nurse, and the silence became deafening. Daisy realized it was the same room they had previously went when Sarah had gotten her latest vaccines and she felt sick to her stomach when she noticed the posters and children’s drawings stuck to a bulletin board. Daniel was standing, composed and pale, and she knew he was just as much of a wreck inside as she was. She reached out her hand. He gave her the faintest of smiles and laced his fingers with hers, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand, but remained silent. 

Soon a friendly looking doctor walked in with kind green eyes and a blonde ponytail, introducing herself as doctor Jacobson, and asked her the basic questions they had expected. “How far along are you?”

“Ten weeks,” Daisy replied hoarsely.

“When did the cramping start?”

“I just woke up with it.”

“How much blood have you lost?”

“I’m - I’m not sure.”

The doctor hummed in response. “Have you ever experienced a pregnancy loss before?”

Daisy blinked in shock, as if she got slapped in the face. It was the first time it was actually uttered, and she once again swallowed and shook her head, before Daniel answered for her. “We have two daughters at home, both healthy, no complications.” 

The doctor nodded again, “Alright, Miss. Johnson, I know you are worried but before we jump to any conclusions, I’d like to do a quick pelvic exam and an ultrasound, and see what is going on, alright?”

Daisy just nodded, and Daniel helped her out of the wheelchair, and onto the examination table where she was instructed to remove the bottom half of her clothing and lay back. Daisy silently obliged, and the doctor softly spoke, “I am going to look for the source of your bleeding and determine whether the amniotic sac has ruptured. This might be a bit uncomfortable but I will make it quick.” 

Daisy just nodded, and the doctor started her examination. Resting her head against the cool railing of the bed, Daisy stared upwards and counted the ceiling tiles, trying to ignore the doctor’s prodding before she heard her hum and remove her gloves. 

“I have not been able to find a rupture.”

Daniel cleared his throat, “That is good right?”

Doctor Jacobson’s face remained neutral and she gave him a nod, “I’d like to do an ultrasound first,” and looked at Daisy. “You can put your clothes back on while I’ll ready the machine.”

Daisy complied, awkwardly pulling her sweats back up while still laying down. 

The couple watched the doctor wheel the machine in and push some buttons. “Lift up your shirt, please?” Daisy wiped the cold sweat of her forehead and rolled up her shirt.

“Alright, let’s take a look,” the doctor breathed out, and with a quick apology when Daisy’s stomach muscles contracted from the coldness of the gel, she started to look for a fetus, sliding the probe over her stomach into various directions. Daisy held Daniel’s hand in hers, bracing themselves for the worst. Time seemed to stand still, until Daisy frowned, noticing an almost undetectable smile appearing on the doctor’s face. The doctor pressed a few more buttons and hummed, indeed faintly smiling, before turning the screen towards the couple. 

With the most relieving sound the couple could ever wish for, the machine produced the all too familiar whooshing of a quick heartbeat. An immediate sob escaped Daisy, as she held Daniel’s hand firmly with her eyes glued to the screen where a small flickering could be seen of her baby’s heart. It was the same determined little flicker she saw for the first time only a few weeks ago, at her first ultrasound appointment with her OB.

Doctor Jacobson cleared her throat, “It appears the fetus is still doing well, the size is good, the heart sounds great.”

Daisy gave the doctor a quick nod, not knowing what to say. She peeled her blurred gaze away from the screen and looked to her side where Daniel wiped a few stray tears from his face, and she squeezed his hand.

With silent tears still running down her face, she wondered “But… how, why? I was bleeding, the cramps… I thought...” she didn’t even want to say it; scared that uttering the word would jinx it. 

Doctor Jacobson shook her head, ”It’s what we call a ‘threatened miscarriage’, there isn’t really a known cause for it, but it is actually quite common. You sadly experienced the more alarming of the symptoms.”

Daisy nodded and looked back at the small grey fetus on the screen. Eventually, the doctor removed the probe from her belly and the sound of the heartbeat echoing through the room faded out, and Daisy wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve. Doctor Jacobson printed a few pictures and turned the machine off, instructing Daisy to remain seated for now. Daisy let go of Daniel’s hand to clean the jelly from her stomach and carefully sat up.

Daniel, who had kept silent for the longest time, swallowed and looked at the doctor. “So… the baby is healthy?”

Doctor Jacobson inhaled, “As of now, the fetus looks good, but I am not going to lie to you, there is still a chance that this will end in a non-viable pregnancy.”

“How much of a chance?”

“Statistically it’s around 50/50, but when I look at yours, I feel like your chances are a bit better since the fetus does not appear underdeveloped, but I can’t guarantee anything, unfortunately,”

Daisy inhaled sharply at the percentage, and inquired nervously “What can we do?”

“Bed rest, lots of bed rest, and no sexual intercourse or strenuous activities. Other than that, there is not much we or you can do, it is a natural process that we cannot prevent nor help.”

Daisy slowly nodded, taking it all in, prepared to do whatever it’d take.

“Just try and take it easy for a week, and schedule an appointment with your OB for a week from now so we can monitor the development, alright?” The doctor looked at her still worried patient’s face, “Look, I know it seems impossible, but try not to worry too much. No going to work, and let your husband take care of you and your children at home,” as she shot a quick glance at Daniel, who nodded, before she focused back on Daisy. “Trust your body, as it knows best. And if the bleeding starts up again, or the cramps increase, don’t hesitate to call and come in again, okay?”

Daisy nodded, and she got off the table, glad to feel the ground beneath her feet again. “Can I walk?” she asked, dreading to get back in the wheelchair.

“You can walk,” the doctor confirmed, and said her goodbye and wished her good luck, before leaving the room again. The couple stared at each other, and Daniel reached out his hand. With their fingers intertwined, they slowly made their way out of the hospital. He could feel her tremble, soft quakes buzzing beneath her skin as they reached the parking lot. Daisy sat down in the passenger seat of the car, and they drove off, still in complete silence.

* * *

It was still dark when they finally arrived home, the silence between them deafening as the familiar crunching of the gravel of their driveway could be heard beneath the car tires. 

Daniel turned off the headlights as they both stared at the house where they could only see the faint light of the guestroom lit, as the rest of the house was dark. Daniel stared at Daisy who remained stoic, her eyebrows furrowed. He took the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car with a sigh, walked around the vehicle and opened the door for her. He stuck out his hand for her to grab, and to his relief, she awoke from her trance and put her hand into his as she got out. She never attempted to make eye contact, but held onto his hand as they got to the front door. Daisy held her free hand clenched against her stomach, almost as if she were to let go, the unspeakable would happen. “Does it still hurt?” he carefully asked, Daisy looked up at him at his worried brown eyes and shook her head, “A bit, but it’s not as bad,”. Daniel nodded and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

They managed to get upstairs without flicking on the lights, knowing their way by muscle memory and closed their bedroom door behind them. Daisy knew that there was no way Kora would’ve gone back to sleep, but she was grateful that her sister knew it was best to keep her distance for now. 

It was when they turned on the lights in the bedroom, and the couple was met with the crimson stain on their normally white sheets, that a sob came from Daisy, and Daniel, who was waiting for her to finally break down, immediately put his arms around his crying wife. He pressed a kiss on the top of her head and allowed his tears to flow freely as well. 

It had been such a relief to hear that their baby was fine for now, but the shock of the possibility of having lost their tiny baby was unbearable. It was only a few weeks ago, when they had put the sonogram picture on the fridge with a magnet Charlie painted for mother’s day, so happy to have the first picture of their newest family member.

Daisy’s arms wrapped around him tighter, pressing her face into his soft sweater. Eventually, Daisy looked up at him and shook her head. “I know it’s so dumb, the baby, she’s still here but… I feel so _guilty_ ,”

Daniel brushed a strand of hair from her face that had been stuck to her blotchy cheek, “You have no reason to feel guilty, Daisy…”

She shook her head in response, “I know it’s dumb but I… I, we were… when we first found out, she wasn’t _celebrated_ like Charlotte and Sarah were... I don’t want her to feel… Unloved? Unwanted? I know how it feel to be unwanted, Daniel, I…”

Deep down, Daniel had been feeling the same thing, guilty about being shocked and a bit apprehensive of the news of their third child. He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat and with it his guilt. Daisy had been brave enough to utter what they had both been thinking, but he reasoned; “We might have felt apprehensive at first, but we love this baby so much... And there’s no way she doesn’t know it, she _must_ know it, because she is so wanted, and we are going to do everything to make sure she will join her sisters, alright? It is not your fault.”

Daisy slowly nodded, and rested her tear stained face against his chest again. She closed her eyes and listened to his comforting heartbeat, while replaying the image of their swaying baby on the screen in her mind. They remained standing for a while before she untangled herself from his arms and muttered, “I really need a shower.”

Daniel nodded and waited for her to close the door behind her, before he made work of the stained sheets. He wanted to get rid of them like a bad memory, and went downstairs, opened the front door, and put them with the trash. Forcefully, he jammed the lid of the trashcan back shut and went back inside. 

When he saw a faint light coming from underneath the guest room’s door, he knocked gently. “Kora?”, he whispered. “The baby is okay.” A gasp was audible through the door, and he quickly moved to the master bedroom. They would talk to Kora in the morning.

Luckily, the blood had not penetrated the mattress through the protector, so he was quickly able to change the sheets before Daisy came walking out with damp hair and a forlorn expression on her face. She smiled softly, appreciating that her husband had changed the bed, and with a bit of apprehension, she stepped beneath the fresh sheets. Daniel quickly took off his clothes and joined her. Daisy cuddled up against him, in need of his warmth and strength. “I won’t be going to work for a while,” she muttered after Daniel turned the lights off, “I’ll ask Kora to take over.” 

Daniel nodded and pulled his wife a little closer. Her hand was still pressed against her stomach. “I won’t go either,” he responded, and laid his hand on hers.

Daisy frowned and looked up, even though it was dark, “Daniel, you can’t just… we’ll be fine.”

Daniel shook his head, “I’m where I need to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it is heavy, but I had this in mind for a long time and decided to write it! The following chapter that kind of continues this is very sweet. Bc u guys know me, I always go back to the fluff lol.
> 
> Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Welcome back! Sorry for not uploading last week, I wasn't able to write a new one-shot while working full time but my schedule is a lot nicer now so I was able to write this :) Hope you enjoy!

Daisy felt her heartbeat quicken as soon as the nurse called her in with a friendly smile on her face. She stood up from the quite uncomfortable chair in the waiting room after a quick glance at an optimistic Sousa, and followed the nurse to the all too familiar examination room. It didn’t take too long before the OB walked in, with an equally friendly smile on her face. She put her chart down and sat down on a stool next to where the couple were sitting. "So, how are you feeling?" 

Daisy sighed, and looked at Daniel before smiling at the doctor, "Much better now that I am in my second trimester, it has been nerve-racking.”

Her OB looked at her sympathetically and nodded, "I can imagine... so no bleeding, cramping, pain?" 

Daisy shook her head and let out a deep breath. "No, I have been feeling fine. I have been taking it slow, working from home, trying not to stress…” she told the doctor, who seemed pleased and scribbled down some notes. “It hasn't been easy but it's worth it knowing that's she's healthy and growing," Daisy added as she ran her hand over the small bump that had only appeared a few weeks ago. 

Daniel smiled as he looked at Daisy’s rounded belly and the protective hand that had been glued to it since that frightful night. It had been a hard time for him as well, knowing there wasn't anything he could do to assure the safety of their unborn child.

He had been taking on the brunt of the household tasks, which included caring for their two small children, doing most of the chores and he had somehow been able to combine it with work; all the while knowing it was a small sacrifice to make. And to now be at the OB’s for the 20-week scan was the reward for the exhaustion- and a much more joyous occasion than the many check-ups they have had to make sure the baby was moving and her heart was still beating.

He listened as Daisy answered a few more of the standard questions, nodding along when appropriate and watched as the doctor started turning on the sonogram machine. 

With a smile, the doctor asked if they wanted to find out the gender of the baby. Daisy smirked at Daniel and shrugged, "Sure," as they both knew what the answer was going to be anyway. They specifically decided on this OB, seeing as she was known to treat fellow Inhuman people, but they never bothered to tell her about the weird family situation they were in, where only girls were born. 

What followed was the standard procedure of Daisy pulling up her shirt, getting some gel squirted onto her bare stomach, and the doctor excusing herself for the coldness of it. 

Almost immediately, they heard the familiar whooshing of the little heart, beating strong. The doctor nodded approvingly and smiled, "Sounds good," and Daniel whispered, “never gets old.” 

Daisy let out a breath of relief, her eyes still locked onto the screen where a grainy grey picture was showing their unborn baby, who was happily swaying back and forth in the darkness of the womb. 

After measuring and typing something into the machine, the doctor started looking around for the sex of their baby. Daisy and Daniel just smiled at each other, knowing that it wasn’t going to be much of a surprise, and quietly revelled in the fact that their baby’s life was not in danger anymore. They didn’t really listen and just looked into each other’s eyes, finally being able to fully exhale and look forward to a life with three little girls.

When the doctor pronounced the gender, it took a second before the couple realized what she was saying. Daisy whipped her head around and stared at the doctor with widened eyes. “ _What_?!” she exclaimed.

“It’s a boy!” her OB repeated with a cheerful gesture at the screen. Daisy and Daniel’s jaw dropped and deep frowns appeared on their faces. The OB was a bit confused by her patient’s face and carefully asked, “Is this not what you expected?” 

Daniel swallowed and blinked, “We were just _really_ sure it was going to be a girl, again.” 

“I hope you guys aren’t disappointed, I am sure your girls are going to love having a baby brother,” the doctor tried to change the strange atmosphere in the room.

Daisy slowly shook her head, squinting at the screen, “We’re… I, am not disappointed, I am just… could you maybe check again?” 

The doctor slowly nodded, baffled by the shocked reaction, but making sure not to show it, and she pressed the wand against Daisy’s belly. She pushed a few buttons to zoom in a bit, and when she pointed at the screen, the couple could clearly see that yes, they were really having a boy. 

Elated, Daisy said “ _A boy_...” She tore her eyes from the screen and stared into Daniel’s equally shocked eyes. Their expressions turned warmer as they looked at each other, and they started laughing, almost hysterically, as the confused doctor watched on. 

* * *

“Hey you guys!” Kora greeted the couple who had just come home. She had a giggly Sarah in her arms and mashed banana stains on her shirt. Daniel smiled at the sight and reached out his hands to the happy baby. He took Sarah from his sister-in-law and exaggerated a big smile, resulting in Sarah slapping her pudgy hands against his face. “Where’s Charlie,” he wondered, knowing that his oldest would’ve been climbing his legs by now. 

“Napping upstairs,” Kora answered while unsuccessfully wiping her shirt with a wet nap, “How was it?” 

Daisy just grinned, and held up the sonogram picture, “Baby is doing great, everything is perfect.” 

Kora let out a sigh of relief, “Oh, I’m glad, I was so worried about my new niece.”

“Yeah, about that,” Daisy said with a mysterious smile.

Kora hummed, a little puzzled, “What’s up?” 

“You’re not getting a niece,” Daisy said with a grin. 

Kora gasped, “It’s twins?!” 

Daisy laughed, “No, dummy. My OB just confirmed that it’s a _boy.”_

Kora laughed and shook her head, “Sure, funny.” 

Daniel shook his head, “It’s a boy,” he confirmed, rescuing the sonogram picture from Sarah’s eager hands.

Kora frowned, “Wait, you’re not kidding?” 

“Nope.” Daisy answered for the both of them. 

“But that is impossible! Jiaying told me the story so many times, how can it… maybe it’s the umbilical cord, there must’ve been a mistake.” 

Daisy took the sonogram picture and held it in front of her sister and tapped with her finger onto the picture, showing the evidence that it was definitely a boy. 

“I can’t believe it!” she gasped, a smile forming on her face, “A boy… that’s so cute!” 

Daisy and Daniel smiled at each other, and Daniel wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist, his large hand coming to rest at the curve of her belly, “I am very excited. Of course I would’ve loved to have another girl, but knowing he’s healthy, it’s just such a nice surprise.” 

Daisy nodded in agreement and looked at her husband, trying to imagine their son being a tiny version of him with his dark curls, cute ears and brown eyes. “It’s funny, far before I was even pregnant with Charlie, when I imagined us having kids, I always imagined a tiny Sousa... so it’s just… nice.” 

Sarah rested her head against Daniel’s shoulder and sleepily played with a lock of Daisy’s hair, not knowing what was going on, but pleased to have both parents within arm’s reach.

Kora tilted her head, and looked at her family, “I am happy for you guys, still a little confused, but happy. I guess you broke the chain.” 

Daisy grinned, “Some traditions have to be broken, I guess.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A boy!! :) Lemme know if u liked it, and expect a v cute christmas chapter next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! I loved writing this christmas chapter, maybe the fluffiest thing i've ever written tbh lol. I also just really missed writing Coulson and May, especially some phillinda :) Hope you guys enjoy! Next week i'll be uploading another christmas fic (which is set a year after this one) and I am aiming for a new year's fic too but I can't promise anything bc I am working fulltime now too...
> 
> Thanks to my beta Wlammy <3

Daisy softly hummed when she felt Daniel’s hand slowly caress her shoulder. She knew it was her husband’s gesture that she should wake up, but it only made her want to curl into his side even more. She groaned and buried her face into his sweater, enjoying his scent that smelled like home, as she could feel him chuckle beneath her ear. 

“Coulson and May are arriving soon,” Daniel whispered, while tickling her back with gentle fingers. Daisy sighed and opened her eyes and with a bleary vision from sleep, she looked up at her husband who smiled at her. “Hey sleepy head,” he said, and brushed away the hair from her face.

She chuckled, and glanced at her two daughters who were both still enthralled by the Christmas movie she had put on an hour ago. After they had managed to put an overly excited Charlie in her velvet burgundy dress and a wriggly Sarah in a Christmas onesie, they had lit the fireplace and put on a Christmas movie. 

Soon, the movie’s faint familiar sounds, the giggles of their daughters and the crackling of the fire lulled her to sleep, curled up against her husband. She let out a sigh at how perfect it was, and she leaned onto Daniel’s chest while rubbing the sleep from her face, careful not to smudge her mascara. Daniel tilted his head, “Are you okay?” 

Daisy nodded, while trying to reconstruct her meticulously braided hair, now ruined by her nap, and answered, “Yeah, I’m fine, baby’s just really making me tired”. 

She brushed her hand along the curve of her belly. Since she entered her third trimester only a week ago, the fatigue had come back full swing. 

“I can’t believe I trekked through foreign planets when I was heavily pregnant with Charlie,” she said with a chuckle, “Now I get tired from walking to the fridge and back…” 

Daniel pressed a kiss on the crown of her head, “You sure you want to host this Christmas party? I am sure May and Coulson will understand if…” 

Daisy shook her head before he could answer his sentence, “No! It’s okay! Charlie has been looking forward to building a snowman with Coulson for _months_. We’ll be fine. I promise it’s gonna be-“ A particular strong kick from their unborn son interrupted her, and she chuckled in response, pressing her hand on the sore spot. Daniel shook his head a little and placed his hand on hers, caressing it with his thumb. Even though they had been married for a few years now, she still got a kick out of seeing their matching weddings rings, and for a moment her mind flashed back to when they were just the two of them with little baby Charlie. She looked at the now four year old and the small dark braids that rested on the child’s back as she giggled at Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, and Daisy couldn’t help but smile. 

Their trusty dog Zephyr, who had been lying at Daniel’s feet, suddenly raised his head, and tilted it towards the hallway mere seconds before the doorbell rang. Charlie let out a yelp in excitement and jumped up, the reindeer completely forgotten, and ran as fast to the front door as her little legs could handle, closely followed by an excited barking Zephyr. 

Daniel helped Daisy sit upright, making sure she was stable, knowing that she needed a little more time to ready herself, and got off the couch with a groan. 

Quickly, he scooped up Sarah, who had already been trying to lower herself from the couch, and he strutted towards the front door with the toddler in his arms.

He calmly helped a jumping Charlie to open the upper lock of the door. 

As soon as the door opened, Charlie ran into Coulson’s already stretched out arms and he swung her in the air with an exaggerated groan, commenting how big she had gotten. The four-year old giggled and tripped over her own words when she wanted to tell him all about her very first weeks of school. Coulson, still kneeled down, listened and agreed with an enthusiasm, fully ignoring the fact she told him the exact same stories the week before, on the phone. 

Daniel and May just looked on and shook their head in delight, before Daniel proceeded to welcome May with a kiss on the cheek. 

Sarah said “May!” and was happily handed over to the smiling former SO, while Zephyr ran excited circles in the snow around them. 

Daisy, who had quickly fixed her braid, walked up to where all the happy sounds were coming from. Coulson was the first one to notice as he held a babbling Charlie on his hip and let out a gasp when he saw her approaching. Daisy was wearing a nice navy blue sweater dress, black tights and comfy slippers. Even though the dress was a bit baggy, it didn’t hide the big baby bump underneath it. With his blue eyes widened in admiration, he said “You’ve gotten so big!” 

May immediately chastised him by pinching his arm, and he let out a yelp before he realized what he just said. Daisy chuckled and hugged her former superior and father figure, “Cute to say to a kid, not so much towards the mom…” 

Coulson smiled at her apologetically, “I’ve never seen you this pregnant in real life I just realized” 

Daisy blinked “Oh right, you were working with the Chronicoms to find housing when I was pregnant with Sarah,” she realized. They had seen each other when she was barely into her second trimester when she was pregnant with her second. He had promised to return as soon as the little one was born, and it was a promise he kept. He had come to visit them in the hospital, able to hold tiny Sarah in his arms, doing a poor job at trying not to shed a tear when she held his finger. 

Coulson remembered and nodded, “You look beautiful, though”. Daisy shook her head, “thanks”, before going in for a hug with May, thanking her for coming over and finally welcoming them in as the cold from outside crept into the house. 

Coulson and May shed their jackets once they convinced the children to let go off them for a second, and were greeted immediately with the nice pine tree decorated with _many_ ornaments, clearly designed by toddler hands. 

“Daddy said I can put on the star tonight!” Charlie said, excitedly bouncing on the cushions of the couch. 

Daniel chuckled, “Charlie, remember, after dinner. And the couch is for…?” 

Charlie stopped bouncing, and said “… sitting”, while sitting down with a frown, resembling Daisy in that very moment. Her mood quickly changed for the better, however, as she remembered what Coulson had promised her, “Can we build that snowman _now?”_

Coulson was about to answer but Daisy interjected, “Charlotte, I know you’re excited but let them first sit down and we can have some hot chocolate, and after you can go outside, okay?” 

The four-year old grumbled but accepted the compromise, as she couldn’t resist hot chocolate. She squeezed her little body between the guests and sighed pleasantly while May gently blew on her hot chocolate to help it cool down. 

* * *

After some ‘boring grown up talk’ as Charlie had put it nicely, they _finally_ went outside. Both kids were cocooned within their winter coats, scarfs, hats and tiny little mittens. 

Coulson showed Charlie how to roll a ball of snow bigger and bigger to create a snowman with while Daniel played with Sarah. He didn’t care how his pants got wet from kneeling in the snow, and created small snowballs that Sarah would throw as far as she could, which wasn’t far. She squealed in joy as Zephyr tried to catch them, and wondered “yummy, Zef?” when she saw the snow dissolving in the dog’s mouth. 

May and Daisy watched with big smiles on their faces, shaking their heads at their antics. Normally, Daisy would join in on the fun, but being heavily pregnant limited her movements, so she chose to just watch it unfold, and slowly sipped from her second serving of the hot chocolate with May. 

“It’s a shame Fitz and Simmons couldn’t come this year,” May commented, missing the couple and their children from last year. 

Daisy let out a sigh, “Yeah, they just didn’t want to travel all the way from Scotland with the baby, which I get.” 

May slowly nodded, “And your sister and her girlfriend?” 

Daisy let out another sigh and chuckled, “They wanted to spend some time with Torres’ family in New Mexico this year, they _love_ Kora over there. I am glad she has a family that adore her.” 

“But you miss them?” May sensed. 

Daisy nodded her head, and looked at May with a sparkle in her eyes, “I do. _But_ she promised me to be here next year so we’ll see. This is nice too, I am glad you guys could come although I _am_ surprised you came together…” 

“There is nothing going on between Coulson and I Daisy.” 

Daisy quirked her eyebrows, “Sure.” 

“I mean it.” 

“Sure…” Daisy repeated and took a sip from her hot chocolate again while smiling above the brim of her mug. 

May sighed and shook her head and finally caved after Charlie had begged her to help roll the massive snowball that had become the bottom of the snowman. 

After a while, Charlie had become bored with merely rolling a big ball of snow, and had joined her baby sister. Daniel had bought and restored an antique wooden sled, which he dragged through the crisp snow with two small red-nosed girls seated on the newly painted top.

Coulson continued to build the snowman, placing the last and the smallest of the snowballs onto the two larger ones, so it finally had a head. Daisy walked up to him and shook her head with a smile, “She doesn’t have a large attention span I am afraid.” She handed him a carrot she saved from the soup Daniel had been making the day before. 

Coulson shook his head, “It’s okay, brings back memories of me doing this with my dad when I was little, it’s nice. I didn’t have the attention span for it either as a kid but…” 

He called Charlie, who got off the sled with a gasp and ran to the finished snowman “The best part about it was putting the carrot in it anyway,” Coulson said with a wistful smile, while making a hole in the snowman’s face with his gloved finger. 

He picked up Charlie and held her at eye level, giving her the privilege to finally put the carrot right in the middle, and two rocks for eyes appeared from Coulson’s pocket. On the way over, May had patiently sighed as he picked up a few rocks from the ground. “Snowmen need eyes, May,” he’d defended himself, and with a smirk, she had pointed a nice dark pebble on the sidewalk.

They had gathered for a quick picture of them all with the snowman before Charlie insisted for her mother to ‘smash it’ with her powers, making everybody groan in delight before making their way inside, leaving the snowman in one piece. For now.

* * *

The smells coming from the kitchen where Daniel had been cooking, were delicious and Daisy could feel her stomach rumbling, which made the fetus toss and turn inside her uterus. She brushed along the curve of her belly up and down, trying to calm the baby within as she watched Charlie color with crayons onto a colored sheet of paper; one of the many drawings that was surely going to join the other ones on the fridge once she was done. 

Coulson and Daisy were sitting on either side of Charlie, while Coulson was making conversation with Daniel as he cooked. 

May was sitting on the couch with Zeph at her feet, reading a book to Sarah, who was leaning back on her lap.

Charlie, who had been silent as she concentrated on her artwork, suddenly spoke up without looking up from her drawing “Are you my grandpa?” she asked, still coloring the sun she had previously drawn in the corner. 

Everybody fell silent and Daisy blinked, watching Coulson who had opened his mouth but no sound came from, and shook her head at him before addressing her daughter. “Why are you asking?”

Charlie shrugged and finally looked up, not realizing how everybody had fallen silent, “Everybody at school has grandpa’s and grandma’s and they are old. Coulson is old.”

Daisy repressed a chuckle at the bluntness.

“He might be old, honey, but –“ Coulson shook his head and interjected, “Do you want me to be your grandpa, Charlie?” 

Charlie looked up at Coulson, a big smile forming on her face. “Yes!” 

He glanced at Daisy, asking for a silent permission, and she just nodded with shiny eyes in response. 

“Then I’ll be your grandpa, on one condition,” Charlie had already climbed on Coulson’s lap. “I can also be your sister and your little brother’s grandpa.” Charlie frowned a little, considering if she would share him, glancing at Daisy’s round belly and then back at her newfound grandpa, and then decided. “Okay.” 

“Okay?” 

The four year old nodded excitedly and started cheering, prompting May to come closer to the kitchen with Sarah on her hip seeing what the fuss was all about. “What’s going on?” she said with a chuckle, noticing Daisy’s flushed cheeks and sensing the excitement. 

“You’re a grandma now,” Coulson teased. 

May frowned, “ _What?”_

* * *

After the amazing dinner Sousa had cooked, they had gathered in the living room where Charlie was finally allowed to put the big star on the tree. Daniel had carefully lifted her in the air, instructing her to be very gentle, and everybody cheered as she succeeded. It didn’t take long after that for Charlie and Sarah to fall asleep on the couch, snuggled up against Sousa who had too fallen asleep from the eventful day and a belly full of Christmas dinner. Daisy tilted her head at them, and snapped a quick picture on her phone, before picking up the pieces of wrapping paper from the few tiny gifts they had already opened as a teaser for all the gifts that were yet to come for Christmas morning. 

Daniel had awoken from the rustling, and slowly opened his eyes. 

“Hey handsome,” Daisy said with a chuckle, as Daniel slowly realized he had fallen asleep. He tried to sit up but the two small bodies of his daughter were hanging onto him like monkeys. 

“I should help you,” he commented. Daisy grinned as she pushed the wrinkled wrapping paper inside a gift bag. 

“You are helping by keeping them asleep and _silent_ for a few minutes.” 

Daniel let out a chuckle and ran his hand on Charlie’s back who was asleep on his chest, her cheek smushed against his dark green knit sweater, just like she had done as a newborn baby. “Today was a good day,” he commented. 

Daisy nodded, “It was,” and let out a sigh, “I never had a good Christmas growing up, I am glad I can give them good memories.” 

“Do you think May doesn’t mind being called a grandma?” 

“I think she loves it.” 

Daniel sighed, observing his wife as she was holding onto the disposed wrapping paper and glancing into the kitchen once in a while. “Why aren’t you going into the kitchen?” 

Daisy shook her head and giggled, “Remember that I put mistletoe under the beam?” 

“Yeah?” he answered with a frown until it dawned on him, “Ooooh. Really?” 

“Yep, they’re _making out_!” Daisy said, raising her voice a bit, knowing that Coulson and May could hear. 

“We are not making out!” she heard May yell back.

Followed by Coulson, “Yeah we were!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for watching, please let me know what you think and stay healthy and safe <3 and until next time!


	9. Merry Christmas!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, and welcome back! First of all I want to wish you a very merry Christmas. Thank you for reading, supporting and commenting, I really appreciate it! This chapter is set a year after the last one, so don't be confused. Next thursday's chapter will be set a year back again lol.
> 
> Thank you to Hecckyeah for the amazing moodboard and Wlammy for being the greatest beta!

Thanks to [@hecckyeah](https://hecckyeah.tumblr.com/) for the moodboard <3

* * *

“You know, I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to use S.H.I.E.L.D. technology to clone your husband,” Kora said with a grin as she put her nephew into the smallest of the striped Christmas onesies she bought him and his sisters. It was five days before Christmas, and the Sousa household was in full yuletide mode.

Daisy chuckled and shook her head. “The older he gets, the more he looks like Daniel,” she answered lovingly, looking over her sister’s shoulder. Kora wasn’t kidding; the baby on the changing table was all Sousa with his wavy dark hair, brown eyes, little ears and wide grin. 

They smiled at the baby who enjoyed the attention and smiled back, showing a few brand new teeth as he did. Daisy tilted her head at her son, and caressed his soft hair. He had been having a really rough time with the teething, being a sensitive baby, who craved more affection and reassurance than his older sisters ever needed, but it seemed he was content now, his mouth not hurting as much anymore and just enjoying being fussed over. He kicked out his legs as Kora tickled his belly, and tried to grab her hair. 

“There you go, Elliot,” Kora said proudly as she lifted the baby in the air, showing off the onesie before blowing raspberries on his cheek. She handed the giggling 9-month old to his mom. “Doesn’t he look festive?” 

Daisy took a moment to appreciate the new garment, and agreed he looked very Christmassy in the red and white stripes. She held him up against her chest in his favorite position, to allow him full view of the world around him by looking over her shoulder. The first thing he saw were the dangly sparkles of the star-shaped Christmas lights Daniel had hung up in the nursery. Daisy was quick enough to step away and make sure the delicate lights were out of reach from his grabby hands. With the twinkles still reflecting in his dark eyes, he grunted in dismay and turned his attention to his mother’s braid. 

“Now I just need to wrangle my two nieces in the other two onesies,” Kora sighed with her hands on her hips. 

Daisy chuckled and shook her head as she patted her baby’s back, “Good luck with that, Sarah still does anything auntie Kora wants, but Charlie is at that stage that she thinks she’s too old for everything.” 

Kora’s smile dropped, “Already? Isn’t she like five?” 

Daisy let out a sigh and shrugged, “I’m just glad she still believes in Santa.” 

Kora shook her head, “I wasn’t really raised with Christmas or Santa, I wish I had experienced that childlike wonder of Santa and his reindeers.” 

Daisy shrugged, “Me too, at the orphanage they were more about the birth of Jesus than Santa, and we barely got presents so there was no magic there…” 

Both sisters laughed wryly at their misery.

“Daniel though,” Daisy said, as she pointed at all the decorations around the baby’s changing table, which was only a tiny part of the festivities all over the house. “He grew up _loving_ Christmas, he’s really old-school about it. Gives the kids all the magic, and me too.” 

Kora jokingly rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah, he’s perfect. Can I ask you a question?” 

Daisy chuckled at her sister’s response and nodded. “Sure, go ahead.” She rescued her braid from Elliot’s mouth, and changed position to offer him new things to look at. Curious, she looked at Kora’s ever so slightly flushed cheeks.

Her sister smiled and put her hair behind her ears.

“Ally… she’s just as crazy about Christmas as Danny-boy and I thought… it would be nice to…” she murmured and pulled a small box from her pocket, “… gift her _this_.” 

Daisy gasped. “Is that what I think it is?”

Kora opened the box and a sparkling ring appeared. Daisy leaned over the piece of jewelry in a joyous disbelieve. “You’re going to ask her to marry you?” 

Kora, suddenly shy, bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Yeah, do you think she’ll say yes?” 

“Are you kidding me? Of course she is going to say yes! When are you going to ask her?” 

Kora carefully closed the box again and put the ring back in her pocket. “I was thinking Christmas eve, before the rest arrives the next day, it might be too crowded otherwise.” 

Daisy grinned while bouncing Elliot, who was craning his little neck to look at the lights. “Look at my sister, the romantic.” 

Kora shook her head, “I just love her so much, you know,” 

“I know! I am just so happy for you guys”, Daisy beamed with sisterly pride.

“She hasn’t said yes yet!” 

“She will!”, Daisy answered confidently and patted her sister’s shoulder. For a few years now, she had been the lucky witness to the couple’s laughter and loving eye contact, and she was sure Torres would be so happy to say “I do”. 

Elliot let out an annoyed squawk. Ever since he had been able to pull himself up on edges he just wanted to play and move around all the time, and not be held as much. “Let’s go downstairs before this little dude gets too annoyed.” 

Kora let out a nervous breath and nodded, “You can’t tell Daniel, you have to promise me, otherwise he’ll look at me with his excited puppy dog eyes and Ally will know what’s up.” 

Daisy chuckled, “I won’t, I promise!” knowing that Kora was right. Daniel was _bad_ at keeping secrets, especially happy ones. She couldn’t count the amount of times he kept smiling and then blurt out “I got you something” or “you’ll never guess who I bumped into”, cheerfully ruining surprises with his excitement.

After the sisters walked downstairs, they were met with their significant others chopping up vegetables for dinner. Daniel’s eyes lit up at the sight of his son in the Christmas themed onesie and Daisy shook her head amused, before putting Elliot down in the playpen where he immediately went to stack up his wooden blocks.

Charlie was sitting on the edge of the couch, enthralled with the Christmas movie that was playing, with Sarah hiding behind her, peeking above her favorite stuffed animal she had clutched in her hands at the Grinch. Kora didn’t hesitate to squeeze herself between the two of them, and without looking up from the screen, the two kids snuggled up against her. 

Kora wrapped her arm extra tight around the three year old scaredy-cat. “It’s okay, baby, he’s not really that mean, he’s just lonely”, she whispered in Sarah’s ear. Sarah nodded, trusting her aunt, but squeezed her donkey plushie closer in her arms, just in case.

Daisy laughed at the longing on Torres’ face and offered to take over the chopping from her, which she gratefully took. “Ooh, he _is_ a mean one, isn’t he?”, she cheerfully announced her presence before cramming herself onto the couch with the girls. Kora made a mental note to put the small jewelry box anywhere else than her pocket, fearing Torres might cuddle up to her and notice the hard object right away. She looked to her side and smiled at her girlfriend. Ally smiled and winked, and Kora rested her head on Sarah’s curly hair with a happy sigh.

Daisy smiled and started cutting the rest of the tomatoes. She could tell by the crooked slices Ally had not been looking down much at all, but it would make a delicious sauce anyway. 

“You look happy,” Daniel commented with a grin. 

“Well, so do you,” Daisy answered, raising an eyebrow before concentrating on the task at hand. “I’m just glad Kora and Torres wanted to come earlier so we can have a bit of a breather from the kids now and then,” she chuckled. 

Daniel nodded, “Agreed,” knowing that normally he had at least one kid hanging at his legs by now, proclaiming that they were starving. “We’re kind of crazy pushing through with the adoption, aren’t we?”, he said, nodding at their dog by Daisy’s feet, who was waiting with tilted head for her to drop something tasty.

“We sure are,” Daisy said with a grin, “can’t wait, though.” 

“Me neither,” he answered as he put the chopped garlic in the sizzling pan, followed by the onion that instantly made the house smell heavenly. 

Daisy finished chopping the last of the tomato and handed it over to Daniel. She studied his face for a second. “Why are you still smiling?” 

“I’m not,” he answered, trying to pull down the corners of his mouth as he stirred the veggies in the pan for the pasta sauce. Daisy put her finger in the back pocket of his jeans, “Are you keeping something from me?” 

Daniel pretended to look offended, “Of course not!” 

Daisy hummed, “Sure,” and shook her head, getting the plates to set the table with, knowing that he’d eventually spill his secret to her, like he always did. It would be a nice change of pace to not know days in advance what the potential surprise was.

She smirked to herself, she could just picture his gasp when Kora would propose. She couldn’t wait. 

* * *

As the days passed, Kora had become a nervous wreck, and not knowing what to do with her emotions, she started to become a bit snappish at everyone, including the woman she wanted to ask her to marry her. 

Daisy tried to keep reminding her sister that there was no way Torres would say no, and she should relax, but joked that if she kept up the attitude, Torres might develop her reservations. 

Daisy also noticed that her husband and Torres had been sharing glances and grins and even though they’d always gotten along, it was a bit strange, even for them. Prodding him and even trying to seduce him didn’t work, so she knew she just had to wait and see what he was up to.

She silently crossed her fingers it wasn’t another wonderful Christmas gift they got her, still painfully remembering last year’s gifts. Daniel made her a ring in a silver smith’s course, too small for her pregnant fingers to wear, and Torres got her a plant she grew from a seed she brought back from the planet Augnum, which promptly had to be returned, as the whole family was allergic to it.

Finally, Christmas Eve had arrived, and it took some bribing (a few extra marshmallows in her hot chocolate), but Daniel managed to get Charlie to match her two younger siblings by wearing the striped Christmas onesie. 

The child didn’t stay grumpy for too long, when she hopped down the stairs and was welcomed with applause from Kora, Daniel, Sarah and Elliot, even though Elliot didn’t know what was going on. 

“Wow, Charlotte, now I am feeling the most Christmassy I have ever felt!”, Kora exclaimed, hugging her niece.

“Don’t I get an applause?”

Torres appeared at the bottom of the stairs, many cocktail umbrellas and tinsel strewn across her wild curly hair, glitter on her cheeks and a curtain wrapped around her waist. Kora turned around and raised an eyebrow.

“Charlie dressed me,” Ally explained, her dimples deepening. She posed with one sassy leg forwards. “What do you think?”

Daniel and Kora applauded again, laughing when Torres awkwardly shuffled towards the living room, her steps limited by the decorative curtain skirt. 

Sarah and Elliot admired auntie Allison from the baby blanket on the floor, where Sarah had been building a tower from blocks and Elliot had been laying on his back, just smiling at his warped reflection in the lowest tree ornaments.

Charlie dropped onto the couch with her aunts. “Can I have my hot chocolate with extra secret marshmallows now, please?”, she asked politely but firmly. Daniel complied with a mock sigh and walked over to the kitchen where Daisy was already busying herself by pouring hot chocolate in mugs. Daniel added the extra marshmallows for his eldest daughter. “Bribery, huh? How in the holiday spirit of you” Daisy said with a chuckle as she watched her husband. He popped one in his mouth and with a grin he shrugged, “Just want this night to be perfect.” 

“Seriously, what’s up with you,” Daisy said with a smile, “I know you love Christmas but…” 

“Let me help you with those mugs, huh?” he answered and wiggled his eyebrows.

They brought the steaming drinks, a plate of cookies and half a peeled banana for Elliot to the living room where the rest of his family was located, their dog Zephyr cozily napping near the fireplace. 

“Careful, hot!”, Daniel warned as he put the mugs on the coffee table. Kora, in the meantime, was untangling the cocktail umbrellas from Ally’s hair, much to Charlie’s chagrin. 

“They’re very beautiful, Charlie, just a little too pointy! What if I want to hug you?”, Torres defended Kora’s action and tickled the frowning child. Charlie squirmed and giggled in response and all was well.

Daniel scooped up his little boy from the floor and sat down on the opposite couch. (With an ever growing family, the Sousa residence quickly required multiple places to nap and/or sit on.)

As Daisy stood and watched her family, with baby Elliot on Daniel’s lap, Kora and Torres cozied up with Charlie and Sarah between them, all reaching for a cookie, she couldn’t believe that this was her family. 

She sat down next to Daniel and shared a look with Kora who suddenly had a very determined expression on her face.

The ring had been burning a hole in Kora’s pocket, since she took it from Daisy’s sock drawer after lunch, and it was time.

She cleared her throat and pushed herself off the couch. She wanted to say something, almost too scared to look into Allison’s surprised green eyes, but instead, quickly used her powers to light the unused candles on the mantle.

“Ooh, atmospheric”, Ally remarked, feeling a strange ball of nerves in her stomach, pretending the room wasn’t already overflowing with twinkly lights from every corner.

Kora got on one knee and Torres’ jaw dropped when Kora reached in her pocket, and revealed the small velvety blue box.

The room was dead silent, other than the crackling of the fire and Elliot’s content humming while eating his banana.

Kora swallowed away the lump in her throat and looked at her girlfriend, whose kind green eyes rivaled the glitter on her cheeks with their sparkle.

“Allison Maria Torres, you are the most remarkable, smartest, most beautiful person in this world. You were there for me when I felt lost, didn’t know who I was. You helped me discover not only space but every inch of my being. I cannot imagine a future where I don’t wake up with your sleepy face next to me, will you please marry me?”

Ally opened and closed her mouth, the kids blinked, not really knowing what was going on, and Daisy chewed on her bottom lip. An annoyed cry from Elliot, demanding more to eat, seemed to bring Ally back from her daze and she quietly groaned, “Oh, no,” and then laughed. 

As soon as the word ‘no’ was uttered, all of the oxygen seemed to be sucked out of the room and Kora repeated, “No?”

Her whole world appeared to collapse right in front of her. Ally realized what she had done and furiously shook her head, “No, no, no, not no! Just-… wait here!” 

She jumped up, losing the draped curtain in the process, and went to the stockings that were hanging by the fireplace. She took the one with the crookedly embroidered letter K on it, and reached in, revealing another small jewelry box.

She rushed back and joined Kora, by also kneeling on the floor. Kora gasped and tried to ask what was happening, but no more than a tiny squeak escaped her throat. Daniel grinned at Daisy, who had her hands clasped in front of her mouth at the sheer drama of it. For a second there, it really seemed Allison turned down the proposal, and now this? Charlie and Sarah gawked, impressed by the atmosphere.

Torres smiled and carefully opened the lid, revealing yet another ring, “I was going to ask _you_!”

“ _What_?” 

“I had this whole speech prepared and everything! Daniel helped me out by picking out the ring because I loved the one he got for Daisy…, but you beat me to it!” 

The shocked expression on Kora’s face slowly formed into an ear-to-ear grin.

“So, that’s a yes?”, she dared to ask.

“It’s a hell yes!” Ally answered. “What about you?”, she asked jokingly.

Kora nodded fiercely, “Yes, yes! I will marry you!” 

The two women bursted out laughing and hugged and cupped each other’s faces in ecstatic disbelief. With trembling fingers, they slipped on the rings and sealed the proposals with a breathless kiss with their arms wrapped tightly around each other. 

“So _that_ ’s what is what you were hiding!” Daisy said to Daniel as she jabbed him with her elbow. Daniel smiled, “Ally asked me to keep quiet about it.” 

“Kora asked me the same,” Daisy snickered.

“Yeah, thanks guys, for keeping the secret!”, a now glitter covered Kora smiled at them as she took Allison’s hand to get up off the floor.

“Congrats, both of you!”, Daniel exclaimed, getting to his feet with Elliot on his hip. He embraced both of them with one arm and admired the engagement rings side by side.

“Mommy, what are they doing?” Charlie asked, frowning, with Sarah once again hiding behind her. It was all a little intense for two little girls to understand. 

“Kora and Ally are getting married, Charlie,” Daisy said, pulling both her daughters on her lap, “like daddy and I are. It is a really happy thing to happen to people when they love each other and want to always stay together.”

Charlie slowly nodded, trying to make sense of it. “I love _you_ , mommy. Can I have a ring now too?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed, merry christmas and until next week! x
> 
> (also i heard that there was a double proposal too in modern family and i really genuinely didn't know lol)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back! Sorry for not posting last week, I knew people were going to be too preoccupied celebrating the new year and finally leaving 2020 behind, I sure did lol. This chapter is set before the Christmas one somewhere. I actually couldn't find out Sousa's birthdate so I just made something up haha. From now on there won't be much of a linear timeline, so keep that in mind :) the timeline I created is a bit of a blur to me now too, just don't pay too much attention to it haha. Hope you enjoy!

When Daniel slowly awoke, the first thing he noticed was how quiet it was, something he wasn’t used to anymore, ever since his eldest took her first breath. He smiled to himself, no matter how much chaos his four year old brought to her parents’ life, he couldn’t imagine living without it. 

While rubbing his eyes, he let his head drop to the side where his alarm clock was confirming that yes, it was morning, and no, it wasn’t that early that his brood could still be asleep. He frowned and slowly sat up. Daisy wasn’t at his side either and before he could worry that anything was amiss, his smiling wife silently tiptoed into the bedroom with two steaming mugs in her hands. 

As soon as she noticed he was awake, her smile turned even brighter and she burst into song, singing happy birthday as she slowly walked, or in her case, waddled towards him. Daniel grinned from ear to ear and took the two mugs, put them on his nightstand, and leaned in for his birthday kiss that lasted quite a bit longer than usual, seeing as there was no kid protesting their affection for each other with gag noises. 

Daisy let out a satisfied hum after they parted and joined him back in the bed, pulling the sheets over their laps. “Happy hundred-something birthday, Danny-boy.” 

Daniel groaned. “Are you going to say that _every_ birthday?” 

Daisy grinned. “You bet.” 

He shook his head and chuckled “Where are the kids?” 

“I thought it would be nice to have thirty minutes of alone time, since we haven’t had that in ages. So I asked Kora to make breakfast with them, that way we have some time to ourselves.” Her sentence was punctuated by the clattering of a pan downstairs in the kitchen and tiny voices of apology, and they chuckled. 

Daniel took a careful sip of his black coffee as Daisy did the same with her tea and they sighed contently. 

“This _is_ really nice,” he commented, and put the cup beside him to have his hands free for a cuddle. He turned to his wife and watched as her eyebrows suddenly knitted together and her jaw tightened, while her hand migrated towards the prominent baby bump. Rubbing a spot just on top of the curve, she let out a sigh. She was clearly hiding her discomfort from him, and it pained him to see it. “Is he kicking again?” 

Daisy tilted her head at him with a wistful smile. “He’s really fond of my ribs lately, got tired of my kidneys apparently,” she joked. 

Daniel didn’t laugh, he could see she was actually hurting pretty bad. Since the scare they had in her first trimester, when they were convinced they had lost the baby, Daisy hadn’t really wanted to express her discomfort anymore, ending every complaint with a ‘but I am just glad he’s healthy.’ But he wasn’t blind; this pregnancy had been the hardest on her by far. 

He looked at her hand gently rubbing the sore spot, and cleared his throat. 

“I want to apologize to you,” he said. 

Daisy looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face. “Apologize? For what?” 

“Last week you asked me to go, you know, make an appointment with the doctor to get a vasectomy. And I was… less than enthusiastic about it.” 

Daisy hummed, recalling his face turning as white as a sheet after she explained what a vasectomy was. It really was a sensitive topic for him, and after seeing him flustered and hearing the kids waking up from their naps, Daisy just decided to let it drop for a while. Apparently it had been simmering in his brain since last week.

“Daniel, it’s okay, it’s not nothing. I get that you were apprehensive. No apology needed.” 

Daniel shook his head, “No, but you were right. Two out of three of our kids weren’t planned, and I see how tough it has been on your body, especially this little guy.” He emphasized it by placing his hand on her belly, and added “it’s a minor thing if it means we can make sure this will be your last pregnancy.” 

Daisy swallowed, lovingly brushing her hand along his temples, and responded “Thank you. I know that if I would get pregnant again I wouldn’t want to terminate, but… I just can’t go through this again. My body is done. I still want to explore adoption, but no more pregnancies.” 

Daniel nodded, “I’ll make the appointment.” 

Daisy sighed, “Thank you, but no more vasectomy talk on your birthday anymore, alright?” 

Daniel let out a chuckle. “Alright,” he agreed, his warm hand still on her belly where the kicking now had slowed down, and both baby and Daisy relaxed into his touch. 

“We still don’t have a name for him,” Daisy said, shifting her weight so she was a bit more comfortable. 

“We do have a second name,” Daniel hummed. Daisy smiled, “Can’t wait to tell Coulson his second name is going to be Philip.” 

Daniel grinned and nodded in response. 

“Are you sad we’re not naming him after your mother anymore?” 

Daniel shrugged, “I don’t think Johanna is the most fitting name for a boy,” 

Daisy shook her head, “I still like the name Hanna, but no you’re right.” She pondered for a moment. “Your dad, he originated from Portugal right?” 

“Yeah he was born there. Immigrated to the States in his twenties.” 

“Your mom?” 

“Irish descent I think, but my mother’s side of the family, the Elliots, they’ve lived longer in the US than my dad’s side of the family. My great grandmother -“

“Her surname was Elliot?” Daisy interrupted, her eyes shining with excitement. 

Daniel just hummed, not noticing her sudden mood change.

“Daniel, that’s perfect.” 

“What’s perfect?” he asked, confused at Daisy’s remark. 

Daisy sighed and playfully slapped his shoulder, “ _Elliot_ , the name Elliot.” 

Daniel blinked and frowned until he realized what she meant, “You want to name the baby Elliot?” 

Daisy nodded enthused, “If you like?” 

“Elliot,” Daniel mused, “Elliot Phillip Sousa.” He grinned, “I love it.” 

“Me too,” Daisy said proudly, relieved they finally had a name as they were mere weeks from her due date now. As if tasting something she never had before, she tried the name again. “ _Elliot_.”

“Hi Elliot,” Daniel said with the baby voice he normally reserved for the family dog, as he bent over to her belly, “nice to finally put a name to the… bump.” 

“Dork,” Daisy answered with a grin, and Daniel smiled back at his cheerful wife. She wrapped her arm around his neck, pulled him closer, and placed a kiss onto his lips, that was quickly met with a gagging sound from their oldest child, who was stood in the doorway with a plate of wonky pancakes in her hand and a frown on her face. Kora, who had tried to encourage the girl to knock first, chuckled, holding Sarah on her hip. “We can wait?” she teased. 

Daniel shook his head and threw the blanket wide open for all the little legs to scoot under with theirs. “No! How can I celebrate my birthday without my girls?” he exclaimed, reaching out his arms as Kora put Sarah on her feet. The toddler instantly ran towards her father, clutching a macaroni-and-glitter work of art, and Daniel caught her and lifted her onto the bed. Charlie followed calmly, carefully balancing the tray of food in her hands. “Look daddy, I made your face out of strawberries,” she proudly pointed out. 

“Wow, so many artists in one family!”, Daniel remarked joyfully, while Daisy mouthed a quiet “thank you” to Kora, who made herself scarce after taking a picture of the family on the king sized bed, enjoying the slightly burned breakfast. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's where Elliot got his name from :) I thought it was such a cute and fitting name. Hope you guys enjoyed, comments are very much appreciated! I promise to answer all of them again now that I am a little less exhausted bc I do really really enjoy and appreciate them and seeing one pop-up in my inbox is the best feeling ever :) thank you for you guys support, as I know many of you took the time to read all of One Year Later haha.
> 
> <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys and welcome back! This chapter is part 1 of 2! I hope you enjoy, I know I am taking a bit of a risk here but I love it haha. Also this chapter is set somewhere after the miscarriage scare chapter (chapter 6) and set before the Christmas ones, just so you know! Enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to Wlammy for being my amazing beta <3

Daisy let out a deep breath as she once again smoothed out the front of her winter coat. The buttons were straining against the bump that slowly but surely had started to show itself now that she had just entered her second trimester.

Daniel reached for her gloved hand and Daisy tangled her fingers with his as they strolled through the nearby park. Her content sigh created a puffy cloud in the cold air. Daniel smiled at her before focusing back on the path and their eldest daughter, who was running with their dog Zephyr closely following her. 

It was a cold yet sunny fall day, the trees had already dropped most of their leaves, but the sunlight shone through the bare branches and threw beautiful shadows on their path. 

Daisy curled a little more into her husband’s side, feeling a shiver going down her spine from the cold. She admired how handsome Daniel looked in his long camel pea coat, nice cable knit sweater and the casually draped scarf around his neck. It took a while but Daniel had gotten used to a more modern way of dressing, and it really suited him, although she sometimes missed the suits and suspenders he insisted on wearing back in the day. 

Daisy took a glance at a tucked in Sarah, who had quickly fallen asleep in the stroller Daniel was pushing, seeing how it was almost nap time. She nearly lost her donkey plushy in the process, but Daniel had been quick enough to catch it. He clammed it behind the straps before it could drop into a puddle, or get lost for real, as they knew they would have a very devastated toddler on their hands. 

“This is so nice,” Daisy said, curling her arm around his. Daniel nodded in agreement, the red tip of his nose matching hers.

“How are you feeling?” he asked carefully, glancing at her midsection for a second. 

It didn’t go unnoticed by Daisy and she squeezed his hand. “We’re fine, Daniel,” she assured him, “Glad to go for a walk that’s longer than from the bed to the bathroom and back,” she added, as she rested her hand on her belly for a second before tucking it back into her coat’s pocket. 

Daniel smiled, but his eyebrow shot up when he saw Charlie getting too close to the pond where a group of ducks had been begging for some bread. “Charlotte, stay away from the water!” 

The girl looked up with wide eyes, knowing all too well that her father only used her full name if it was serious, so she turned around and ran back to her parents, a bit out of breath. “They so cute, daddy,” and added some quaking noises. 

“I know ducky, but I don’t want you to fall in,” he answered, slowly shaking his head with a smile. Daisy placed her hand on top of her daughter’s head, who managed to calmly walk along her parents for a full minute, before she ran off again with the happily yipping dog behind her. 

Daisy chuckled, “She’s so happy, I am glad she can let go of some of that pent up energy.” 

Daniel nodded in agreement and hummed. After the miscarriage scare a month earlier, Charlie had changed from a happy-go-lucky little girl to one that was way too concerned for such a small child. 

It pained them to see her so worried about her mother, who had to stay on bed rest and wasn’t able to go play with her in the backyard anymore, or carry her around on her hip or play-wrestle on the couch. 

They had tried to make it not too different for their children, as they were too young to understand what it all entailed, so they watched movies in bed, read books to them, or napped together, and auntie Kora took them outside to play some times. It was still a big adjustment, however, to all of them, but luckily, it paid off; Daisy got the all clear after their last check at the OB.

The fetus was developing well and since she hadn’t had any spotting or cramps anymore, she was finally released from bed rest, and was advised to continue life like before, but ease in slowly, and the couple couldn’t be more relieved. So the first thing Daisy wanted was to go on a stroll with her family and take Charlie to her favorite park with the big playground. She was so excited to do something normal again that she joined Daniel and Charlie in their made up ducky song, while straining to put Sarah’s chubby little feet in her rubber boots, before leaving the house. 

“Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like if we’d never been able to return back to earth, how we would raise Charlie in space,” Daisy pondered with a frown, thinking back on the dark and narrow hallways of the aircraft while looking at the wide open fields and path around them. 

Daniel inhaled deeply, “Me too, I don’t know how Fitz-Simmons managed all those years with Alya.” 

“Well, according to Jemma it had been pretty tough. With a newborn you don’t need much, like how we managed to care for Charlie with just a laundry basket and some hand sewn clothes but when they get older…” 

Daniel hummed, “I can’t imagine… We would have never had this,” he said as he tapped on the handle of the stroller. 

Daisy shook her head. “No, I would have never wanted to have another child, and especially not give birth in a ship I might or might not quake to pieces,” she replied as a shiver ran down her spine again, yet this time not so much from the cold.

“And we were so lucky Charlie was a healthy baby and an easy pregnancy… what if we had gone through what happened a month ago, with this one…“ she once again shook her head, spreading her hand against the swell of her belly where their third child was nestled safely within her womb. As an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. she had gone through some pretty horrific scary and traumatic things, but at least with fighting against her enemies she _knew_ how to fight back using her skills and powers. But the lack of control, not being able to protect the little life inside of her, had been terrifying being back on earth, let alone in space. 

Daniel brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against the back of it. 

“I thank the stars everyday that we managed to come home safely,” he whispered. 

Daisy gave him a nod, a smile forming on her face at his loving gesture. His facial expression suddenly changed into one of worry, his eyebrows knitted together, and Daisy followed his gaze. Their daughter had once again ran off too far, and was now playing with a strange dog, some sort of bully-mix, accompanied by a man whose back was turned to them.

Daisy always felt that Daniel was a bit too protective, but seeing her daughter talking to a strange man in a park didn’t sit right with her either, and before she knew it she called out for her oldest daughter, who didn’t seem to hear her, and continued petting the dog. Daniel looked at Daisy and they picked up their pace.

Daisy was reminding her daughter that she wasn’t allowed to pet stranger’s dogs, until she stopped mid-sentence when the man turned around. With a genuine apologetic gesture, he said, “I’m sorry, she really wanted to pet my dog, she’s friendly I promise, I told her to ask her parents first but –“ 

Daniel shook his head at the man, “It’s okay, Charlotte here doesn’t really _listen._ ” 

Charlie looked up with a guilty expression on her face. “But daddy, she’s nice, playing with Zeph,” and patted the stranger’s dog, who looked up at her with its tongue hanging out. The dog then ran back to Zephyr and continued their horsing around. 

Neither Daniel, nor the man had noticed Daisy going white as a sheet, or her wide and unblinking eyes as she observed her husband casually talking to the man and excusing himself for Charlie who he had lifted onto his hip, even though the girl had gotten a bit big for it. 

The middle-aged man smiled friendly at her, his short dark hair blowing in the breeze, a small frown on his face as they stared into each other’s eyes. 

He shook Daniel’s hand as he introduced himself. “Hi, my name is Cal Winslow, I am a vet, and just opened up a new animal clinic here. And this old girl is called Daisy.” He pointed at the dog playing with Zephyr, “She doesn’t often play well with other dogs, so it’s nice to finally have a friend for her.” 

Daniel nodded, and introduced himself and his daughters to the friendly man. “And this is my wife -“, he added before noticing how strange Daisy was acting. 

With a crooked smile, the vet stuck out his hand and Daisy just stared at it before shaking it.

“I… I am Daisy,” she said hoarsely, blinking nervously, worried he might recognize her. She let go of his hand and awkwardly stared at the ground.

Daniel slowly nodded, wondering what had gotten into her, and reached out for her hand. Daisy immediately grabbed it, squeezed, and didn’t let go. 

The man chuckled, “That is a lovely name,” he tried to joke, but Daisy didn’t really respond. Cal tilted his head, and said “I’m sorry, the old noodle isn’t wat it used to be, but you look familiar, have we met before?” 

Daisy slowly shook her head, still looking away. “I, um, maybe, I have been to your practice before” 

“Ah yes, that must be it,” he answered, happy to have an answer. 

Daniel sent her his ‘are you okay?’ look, and she managed to smile convincingly, causing Daniel to let it go for now. He imagined it was a little overwhelming for Daisy, after the weeks in bed, to be out and about again.

Daisy watched her husband continue to talk to Cal, and not having a clue he was really her _father_. Charlie inserted herself into the conversation, fascinated by the man being a vet, which had been her current obsession since she and her dad took Zephyr to get his yearly shots. The vet laughed heartily at remarks the child made, clearly being a really chipper people person, and Daisy felt her heartbeat calm down. It was nice to know he was doing well.

Eventually, their dogs seemed to tire and started panting at their feet, so Cal handed Daniel a business card, kindly urging them to come for a free check-up for their dog if needed, and they bid each other goodbye. 

Daisy shook her head as she watched herfathercrouch down, put the leash back on dog-Daisy and walk off with a buoyant tred. 

Daisy placed herself behind the stroller and started walking when Daniel was done putting the leash on Zephyr. “Are you okay?” he asked, “You looked a bit spooked.” 

Daisy blinked, “Yeah, it was just strange.” 

“Because you knew him?” 

“Yeah.” 

They remained silent for a while until the playground came in view and Charlie ran off again. “Be careful!” Daniel exclaimed, but the girl had already ran up to the monkey bars. He chuckled and sat down on one of the benches. 

Sarah had finally woken up too and was whining to be let out of the stroller. “She must be hungry,” Daniel said. Daisy barely responded as she unbuckled her youngest daughter and pulled her on her lap. Sarah cuddled into her mother’s warmth immediately as Daniel took a banana from the diaper bag and peeled it. Gratefully, she took the fruit from her dad and stuffed her face with it.

“Daisy?” 

“Yeah?” she responded, still a bit dazed. 

“Who was that man?” 

Daisy took a deep breath and cleared her throat, “That’s Cal Johnson.” 

“ _Johnson?_ As in…” he gasped softly. 

“Yeah, my father.” 

Daniel blinked, watching his daughter play with another girl near the monkey bars, “He did look familiar, you kind of look like him, now I think of it.” 

Daisy nodded. “I have no idea how… how this happened. He lives in Milwaukee. After what S.H.I.E.L.D. did to his memory, I made peace that I would never see him again, but now he’s _here._ “ 

“Wow,” Daniel breathed out, taking it all. Unbeknownst to him, he had met his father-in-law, and had looked in the same brown eyes he saw in his wife and children.

“He didn’t seem to recognize you.” 

Daisy shook her head. “No, he didn’t, and I hope I didn’t jog his memory or anything, because that would be traumatic for him.” 

“And for _you_ ,” Daniel added. 

Daisy smiled, pulling the toddler on her lap closer and pressing her cheek against her daughter’s cheek. “I’m okay, it was rough for a while, and I can’t say he was _perfect_ by any means, but I want him to have the closure he deserves.” 

Daniel nodded and took the business card from his pocket as he studied it, “He said he just opened a new clinic here, seems like he has been doing fine for himself.” Turning the card around and staring at the logo before pocketing it, he continued “you know, we could… visit him, again.” 

Daisy shook her head and let go of Sarah who was squirming to be let go of her mother’s grasp. The toddler stumbled towards the sand pit and let herself drop, immediately sticking her small hands in the sand and letting out a squeal of happiness as it clumped in her fists. 

Daisy looked at Daniel. “No… it’s okay. It was just a freak coincidence, I am glad to see he is doing great, he looked good. I just… want to leave the past in the past.” 

Daniel reached out for her and put his arm around her shoulder, kissing her on top of her beanie, “Alright, let me know if you change your mind.” 

Daisy nodded, reaching for his hand and squeezing it before they both looked up wide-eyed when an all too familiar cry came from Charlie who seemed to have fallen off the monkey bars. 

Daniel shook his head and got off the bench with a grunt. He hurried to his daughter who sat on the soft foam tiles with big tears running down her face. Daisy could see that it was more from the shock than of pain, and she smiled wistfully. She tried not to think too much of what could have been, especially thinking back of her childhood and how she could’ve grown up happily with both her parents somewhere in Milwaukee, but seeing the father-daughter duo in front of her made her feel a little homesick for a life she never lived.

Seeing her own father, after more than a decade, brought back all those emotions she had as a lonely kid, and as Daniel walked back with a teary Charlie in his arms, her little face resting on his shoulder, she wondered how it would be to have her birth-father back into her life, even if it was just a visit to the vet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week I will continue this story :) let me know what you think, I appreciate all your kudos and comments so much and i'll make sure to reply to all of them <3 until next week!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys welcome back! I know I said I was going to upload part two of the Cal interaction from previous chapter, but I didn't manage to get it written in time sadly but I still hope you'll enjoy this one as I adore it as I remember being a little kid and having that safe zone :) Also Sarah has barely any story so she deserved it lol. Enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to my amazing beta as always @Wlammy, u can also find me on tumblr.com/marvelsquake

Daisy startled awake when she heard the unmistakable sobs and sniffles of her youngest daughter in the dark. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the faint light of the lamp in the hallway. They always kept in on for the children’s comfort, and if she was honest, for hers as well as waking up in total darkness tended to freak her out. 

Soon, the outline of their toddler appeared in the gap of the bedroom door, her curly hair backlit like a halo by the night light behind her. She sniffled, clamping her beloved plushie under her arm, looking really small in her very first pajamas, having grown out of the sleeping bag she used to shuffle around in. 

Daisy felt her heart ache for her daughter; Sarah had a particular tendency to have nightmares, and while Charlie would just scream out for one of her parents to get rid of her night terrors or to quake the monsters under her bed, Sarah would climb out of her bed and hurry towards the safe haven that was her parent’s king-sized bed. 

“Come here, baby,” Daisy said, beckoning for the little girl to come closer, her voice still raspy from being fast asleep only mere seconds ago. Sarah ran up to her mother, and stuck out her little arms to be lifted onto the bed, her cheeks stained with tears and a trembling bottom lip. Daisy didn’t hesitate to pull her child and plush donkey into bed with her, embracing the lithe body while pulling the covers over them. Sarah snuggled up against her mother’s warmth immediately.

Daisy pressed a firm kiss onto Sarah’s dark curls and hummed while gently caressing the pillow creases on the child’s cheek, allowing the chilly bare toes to rest against her warm legs.

“Did you have a bad dream?” she asked, knowing all too well what the answer was going to be. Buried even deeper into her mom’s chest, a small voice croaked “yes”, and the tears welled up again, leaving small wet stains on Daisy’s shirt. 

“It’s okay, honey, it’s not real, I’m here, I’m here…” Daisy repeated like a mantra. It was a mantra that wasn’t unfamiliar to her as Daniel would pull her into his arms after bad nightmares as well, repeating it to her whenever she awoke from yet another violent night terror that had haunted her in her sleep, triggered by one of the many traumas she had suffered in her life. And the mantra seemed to work just as well for her toddler as it did for her. 

Daisy let her head drop to the side where normally her husband would be lying fast asleep next to her, yet his side of the bed was empty and the blankets were shoved to the side. Daisy smiled faintly, knowing he probably rushed out of bed, allowing her to catch a bit more sleep, while he comforted their infant son, who cried all hours of the night, especially now that he had begun teething. 

She turned her attention back to the child in her arms and brushed the wild curls from her face. She let her hand rest at her temple, slowly stroking her thumb along her small eyebrow, which was a soothing motion she had picked up since Sarah had been born, and it always seemed to comfort her. 

Sarah’s sniffling had slowly but surely faded, but the shaking hadn’t stopped. Her vocabulary was still limited, seeing as she was just a toddler, and much different from her big sister, she wasn’t as vocal in expressing what she wanted or needed, so Daisy channelled her quakes to be the softest they could be, a sensation all of her children adored since they were babies. The vibrations were softer than a buzzing phone inside a winter coat’s pocket, and Daniel figured the children loved it because they knew the feeling from before they were born, and felt instinctively Daisy was their home. She was just glad it helped and hummed softly while she felt Sarah calm down under the gentle quaking, and continued to stroke along the little eyebrow. 

“You know, Sarah,” she whispered, retelling the story she had told so many times, knowing it would put Sarah to sleep as it had done often before. “When I was a child, I had a best friend, and her name was Sarah. She was a bit older than I was, and always protected me from the older kids who used to tease me.” 

Daisy reminisced, still having a clear mental picture of the girl with the long brown pigtails and fierce sparkly eyes. “She later got adopted by an amazing family and moved away,” Daisy smiled wistfully. Sometimes, her heart still broke when thinking back at that particular day. She would never forget seeing her best friend being driven away in a nice car with an adoring family, her hand pressed against the back window. 

“But she always kept in touch, and wrote me letters at the orphanage. She used the secret code we made up together, making sure none of the other girls could read our silly little secrets. Only after I had been moved around so much, we lost contact.” 

Daisy swallowed, smiling, “And when you were born, there was something about you that reminded me so much of her. You immediately had this serenity; you were put in my arms and after just a small cry you were just content to be there. With us.” Daisy knew her toddler didn’t understand most of what she was saying, especially since her breathing had been evening out indicating that she had pretty much fallen asleep, but she continued. 

“And I just knew your name. Your daddy and I dropped all other options, because you were our Sarah.” Daisy smiled at the memory and placed another kiss on top of the head of the snoozing toddler in her arms.

“And your second name, we knew we had to name you after my best friend and sister, who is just as loyal as Sarah had been, and the smartest person you’ll ever know.” Daisy let out a soft sigh, oh how she missed having Jemma around. Sure, they kept in contact all the time, but she sometimes wished she could just knock on her best friend’s door and share a cup of tea or shake their heads at funny remarks the kids made earlier that day, or reminisce about their early days when it was just their team, not knowing what was ahead.

“And that’s how you became our Sarah Anne, Sarah Anne Sousa.” 

“Wouldn’t have wanted any other way,” Daniel said softly. He had snuck back into the bedroom, and heard his wife’s loving whispers in the dark.

Daisy smiled and gave him a nod as he climbed back into bed. He pressed his chest against her back, put his arm around her and rested his hand on his daughter’s leg. Sarah was now fast asleep, and didn’t even notice her father had returned. 

“Charlie?”

“Out cold with her head at the foot of the bed, again.”

Daisy smiled. “Of course. And Elliot?” 

“Mostly hungry,” Daniel said with a chuckle, “And I think a little bored, didn’t want to go back to sleep.” 

Daisy let out a soft chuckle, “Sounds familiar.” Her baby boy had a tendency to instead of going down after a midnight feed, to get even more awake for a short amount of time and start pulling at her hair or reach out to the twinkle lights above him. But after some humming, cuddles and soft singing, even baby Elliot couldn’t fight his sleep anymore and would be put back in his crib. 

“Did she have another nightmare?” Daniel asked, concerned for their little girl. He didn’t like seeing her being terrorized by her dreams. 

Daisy hummed softly, pulling her daughter’s plushie underneath he blankets as well as it was just about to drop on the floor. “I sometimes wonder if… if she somehow,” she let out a sigh, “inherited my nightmares.” 

Daniel felt his heart break for his wife and pressed a kiss on her shoulder. “She didn’t, she didn’t. Charlie had a bout of nightmares too when she was transitioned to day care. It’s just how she copes with change. She’ll be fine.” 

Daisy slowly nodded, “I guess you’re right. I just hate seeing her upset.” 

Daniel brushed his hand up and down the child’s leg. “Me too, but I _also_ think she likes sleeping in our bed.” As if on cue Sarah let out a soft grunt and snuggled more into her mother’s embrace, and they both chuckled softly. 

Daisy sighed contently. Even though she didn’t like for her daughter to have nightmares, it was nice to be able to cuddle and hold her close without much protest, even if it meant an accidental kick to the shins from time to time. 

“Good night, Daniel.” 

Daniel lovingly kissed her shoulder again. 

“Good night, Daisy” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, many of u asked where Sarah got her name from so a little origin story :) Thanks for reading and leave a comment if u liked! I really appreciate them and always make sure to answer all of them! Until next week!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I know I promised to upload for 'Familiar Faces' but I was just not happy with it yet so I wrote this instead, it turned out to be a LOT longer than expected (5000 words but who's counting lol) but I adore this chapter and loved writing it. It is also FLUFFY, so be warned lol.
> 
> Thank you to Wlammy for being my amazing beta, and you can follow me on tumblr.com/marvelsquake if you like!

A soft shuttering breath escaped Daisy when she looked down at her brand new baby. Ever since they found out, much to their surprise, that they were having a boy, she had tried to imagine what her son would look like. 

It was easier to imagine what their child would look like when they were still expecting to have a girl, like every woman in her family had for generations, with two thriving examples of them already bouncing around the house.

When Charlie was born, it was immediately clear that her looks favored Daniel’s side of the family. With teary eyes, Daniel had stared at their newborn daughter, and confessed how much she looked like his baby sister. Sadly, his sister had succumbed to illness before he had returned from the war, and he never expected to see her face again, which inspired Daisy to name their daughter after the sister-in-law she never had the chance to meet.

Their second daughter, though, was _all_ Daisy. The eyes, the slope of her nose, and even the arch of her little eyebrows, it all strongly resembled her mother from day one. The only difference were her father’s curls Sarah had inherited, which had developed into an untamable lion’s mane, every now and then successfully forced into braids if the toddler managed to sit still for long enough. 

But her son, their brand new _son,_ who had only been placed in her arms about an hour ago, red faced and crying, and now swaddled and asleep contently in her lap, was _all_ Daniel. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of him and the tuft of downy dark hair on top of his head, the dark eyelashes fluttering in his sleep, his small ears sticking out and the tiny fingers clutched around her index finger. She let out another sigh, softly whispering his name, “ _Elliot_ ,” as if to try it out.

“It suits him.”

Daisy looked up and was met with a smiling May at the doorway of the S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital room Daisy was recovering in. “Sorry, Daisy, I knocked but you didn’t respond. Are you up for visitation?”

Daisy smiled, and nodded, beckoning for May to come in while casting her eyes back onto her sleeping son.

“May I come in too?” a familiar male voice sounded, filling the room with a most welcome warmth.

Daisy looked up again in surprise, and smiled brightly. “Coulson, you made it!”

“Are you kidding me? _Of course_ I made it!,” he answered, and followed May to the hospital bed Daisy was sat upright in, changed from the hospital gown into a pair of Daniel’s loose fitting button-up flannel pajamas, and her sticky hair up in a messy bun.

They both gasped at the sleeping boy propped up on Daisy’s legs. “How are you feeling?” Coulson asked, concern dripping in his voice. It had been a _long_ labor for her, not only was her son the first one to not be born early, he had also been fairly big, and it had taken quite a lot of hours pushing before he finally came into the world. The S.H.I.E.L.D. family had been checking their phones constantly for news from May, and Coulson drove everyone in the waiting room mad by asking “is it supposed to take this long?” every 10 minutes, so it was a huge relief for everyone when Daniel ran into the waiting room, the blue hospital slippers rustling around his shoes as he announced proudly that the baby in fact, had been born.

Daisy shook her head at Coulson’s worried face, not really in the mood to talk about how sore and tired she was feeling, and instead exhaled deeply with a smile. “Just so happy to be able to finally meet him.” As if in response, baby Elliot grunted softly. 

Coulson leaned over from the foot of the bed and ran a careful finger across the baby’s hair. May tilted her head at Daisy with a smile, sensing Coulson’s unconditional kindness and love to this tiny human, same as with any other added member to the Johnson-Sousa family.

May then looked around the room, and wondered. “Where’s your husband?”

Daisy was about to respond before Daniel opened the door, with an elated smile that hadn’t left his face since his son had been born, and was holding his favorite analog camera. “I’m here, I’m here! What did I miss?”

Daisy chuckled. “Just his first steps.”

Daniel blinked, for a sleep deprived split-second he actually worried he had missed a big milestone of his son’s life, before he quickly figured his wife had, of course, been joking. “Oh, if that’s all,” he responded with a smirk, rewinding the film in his camera and taking a picture of his son meeting his grandparents for the first time, before joining Daisy near the head of the bed. 

Coulson and May both gasped in unison at the first real good look of the baby, who’s head was peaking out from the swaddle. “He’s _perfect_ , Daisy,” Coulson muttered in awe, while stroking the little fist of the one arm that escaped the swaddle.

“You want to hold him? _Grandpa,_ ” Daisy offered, gently scooping up her son from her lap. Coulson looked from the baby, to Daisy, back to the baby again and nodded. Even though he had been getting used to the new title, (coined by Charlie, who had been miffed that she didn’t have grandparents), actually being referred to it still warmed his heart like nothing else.

“Of course,” he answered, watching Daisy transfer the sleeping baby to Daniel, who carefully placed the newborn in his arms. The infant opened his eyes a little, just enough to give everyone a glimpse of the dark eyes that matched his siblings. May smiled and held onto Coulson’s arm as they stared into the little round face of the baby who was now looking back at them, “Nice to meet you, Elliot, welcome to this world,” Coulson murmured lovingly.

“It’s Elliot _Phillip,_ actually,” Daisy said with the biggest grin on her face, “Elliot Phillip Sousa.”

Coulson immediately looked up at Daisy slack jawed, his blue eyes wide as saucers, “You… you named him after _me_?”

May beamed, and pinched his arm, “What other Phillip would they name their son after, Phil?”

Coulson shook his head, paying no mind to May’s comment. “Oh, Daisy, Daniel… you didn’t have to, I feel so honored, I-“ and het let out a soft gasp staring into the face of the baby, who had gone back to sleep.

Daisy shook her head. “You have always been there for me, gave me a chance when no one would, been the most amazing grandparent to my kids, there is no one else I would want to name him after as much as _you_.”

Daniel silently nodded in agreement, and tried to subtly snap another picture, which failed as the loud shutter sound echoed through the hospital room, but nobody cared. Coulson tried to come to grips with a brand-new person being named after him, and gently rocked the tiny namesake. “I don’t know what to say, I-“

“Just say, thank you,” May commented, lovingly shaking her head. Coulson smirked at the woman by his side, took a deep breath, and looked into Daniel and Daisy’s eyes. 

“Thank you.”

Daisy answered with a silent nod and teary eyes. Not only was she exhausted and hormonal, she had been looking forward to revealing the name to Coulson ever since she and Daniel had decided on it, and it was even more perfect than she had imagined.

Coulson cooed at his new grandson, before he carefully handed him over to May who spoke some welcoming words in Mandarin, before teasingly being referred to grandma by Coulson. It had taken her a little longer to warm up to the title, but had now fully embraced it, especially with the infant in her arms.

It was only when Elliot began to whimper that Daisy opened her arms for her son to be returned to her. May complied, and watched as Daisy expertly hushed the fussy baby in her arms, who seemed to calm down as he was placed back onto her heart.

“I think he’s getting hungry,” Daisy said with an apologetic smile. She didn’t mind being around family as she fed her children, but she had also felt the surge of adrenaline, that had kept her awake, start to wane.

May had already sensed Daisy’s fatigue and nodded, “We’ll leave you to it, keep us updated, okay?”

“Okay,” Daisy answered with a soft smile. Coulson pressed a kiss on top of her head, whispering another thank you, before clearing his throat, “And I need those pictures,” and pointed at the camera dangling from Daniel’s neck.

Daniel nodded. “I’ll get them developed as soon as I can!”

May congratulated them on their new son and his healthy arrival once again, before pulling a reluctant Coulson with her, shutting the door behind them and leaving the couple to be alone with their son.

Daisy sighed and relaxed into the pillow she was propped up against, and with a hiss, she let herself slide down carefully, with her still fussy son on her chest. “That was perfect,” Daisy said and looked up at Daniel who had sat on de edge of the matrass, still enthralled by the baby before he looked into her eyes and gave her a nod. “Glad we waited on telling him.”

“Tell me you have a picture of his face when I told him,” Daisy said.

Daniel laughed. “I have, or at least I think I have… we’ll see after the film has been developed.”

Daisy sighed, Daniel’s insistence of using an old analog camera over the perfectly good camera on his phone was beyond her, but she had conceded as the moments he captured were pretty much always her favorite picture of their family. She just didn’t like the waiting time, no matter how he tried to convince her of the pleasure of anticipation.

A friendly nurse walked in, checking in on Daisy and the new baby after she heard the crying from the hallway, asking if everything was okay. Daisy assured the nurse she was fine, and that her baby was hungry again. “Ah yes, the cluster feeds tell us the milk is well on its way. Make sure you drink enough,” the nurse told them what they already experienced twice before, but they nodded politely anyway. 

The nurse left with a professional nod and a smile, closing the door behind her. In the mean time, Daisy pulled the newborn from her chest and unbuttoned the loose shirt, giving access to the baby who instinctively knew how to feed. He started to nurse, locking eyes with his mother like his siblings did before him. Daisy smiled at the baby at her breast and softly shook her head. “Never gets old,” she sighed and softly brushed her fingers through the dark patch of hair on top of the baby’s head, already noticing how wavy it was and loving that, like Sarah, he too had inherited Daniel’s curly hair.

The couple watched their son in awe in silence, before Daniel suddenly realized he had forgotten to check his phone that had blown up with many, _many_ , messages from friends and family wanting an update. Besides a group text that the baby was born, and that both mother and baby were doing well, he had been too enthralled in meeting his new son that he had forgotten to check his messages. Especially Kora, who was currently babysitting Charlie and Sarah with Torres, was eager for an answer. Daniel opened the text and smiled, shaking his head, at the picture of his daughters with their big brown eyes with the caption. “Please, let us meet our baby brother.” Charlie proudly displaying a macaroni and glitter covered masterpiece Kora had presumably cut in the shape of a baby, and Sarah mostly looking like she missed her mom, sucking on her thumb and smushed up against her big sister.

Daniel glanced at his wife for a second, her eyes had started to droop from being in labor for over 24 hours, and he didn’t blame her. “Are you up for Kora and the girls to come and visit?” he asked. Daisy blinked and looked up from the baby in her arms to him and smiled. “Of course!”

“Not too tired?”

“Can’t remember a time when I haven’t been tired,” she said with a chuckle, “But I want them to meet their baby brother. So yes, please, let them come visit. I might squeeze in a little nap, since they’re at least thirty minutes away…”

Daniel nodded, “Alright,” and texted Kora that they could come visit and meet the new addition to their family. He send a quick group chat message as well, with the baby’s full name, adding the one picture he had taken of Elliot with his phone. Kora answered within what seemed like a millisecond, and let him know that they were going to be there in an hour or so, as soon as Sarah’d wake up. Daniel send a quick message back, and pocketed his phone.

As he was about to tell Daisy that she still had an hour to get some rest, he smiled, as she was already fast asleep. Elliot must’ve been done feeding because he too was snoozing, his chubby cheek squished against his mother’s warm chest, clearly content and milk-drunk. He hummed, pulling the infant from her chest which resulted in a bit of protest from the both of them before Elliot settled in his arms, and Daisy, knowing it was only Daniel who had taken him had promptly gone back to sleep.

Of course, he already held his son before, but he enjoyed his one-on-one time nonetheless. Admiring every little feature of his one-and-a-half-hour old boy, shaking his head as he saw just as much of Daisy in their son, while she only saw resemblances of him. He pressed a kiss on Elliot’s forehead with the promise to try to be the best dad for him that he could, and placed the still sleeping infant in the basinet that was placed next to Daisy’s bed. Much to his relief, Elliot didn’t protest much, and with a big sigh, he sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs, deciding to follow his wife and son’s example and succumb to sleep as well.

* * *

“Hi guys! Congratulations!” Kora singsonged as she opened the door, balancing a very apprehensive looking Sarah on her hip, followed by Torres firmly holding the hand of escape-artist Charlie, who carried a bouquet of daisies so big, her little face could barely look over it. 

Daisy gasped, delighted to see her daughters again and quickly waved them over to her bed. Daniel sat up from his chair and pulled out two extra for his sister-in-law and her girlfriend to sit on. 

Kora immediately went in to hug Daniel to congratulate him, transferring Sarah into his embrace. The toddler had joined in on singing songs in the car, but the closer they got, the quieter she got, and all she wanted was her parents. She wrapped her little arms around Daniel’s neck and buried her face against his clavicle. Daniel lovingly kissed Sarah’s hair, and murmured some comforting words before he put her on the ground.

Charlie had already run up to her mom, unceremoniously dumping the bouquet of flowers in favor of trying to climb up onto the bed. Daniel was just quick enough to save the poor flowers before they hit the floor and with his free hand, he pulled the preschooler up onto the bed by one of the belt loops of her corduroy pants. “Careful, careful, mommy is sore!” he chided with a smirk. Daisy embraced the enthusiasm of her daughter and pulled her closer, scooting a bit to the side so her daughter could join her.

“I missed you, baby,” she said, having a flashback to when Charlie had just been born, almost not believing that she was now introducing her youngest sibling to that same baby. “Kora said I am the _biggest_ sister now!”, Charlie said, her chest puffing out in pride. Daisy grinned, “Yes you are!” and kissed Charlie’s temple, “And thank you for the flowers!”

“Those are actually not from us, they got delivered to the house just when we were about to leave,” Torres answered for Charlie, and congratulated the pair on their new addition, and sat down with Sarah clinging to her legs. 

Daisy frowned and hummed, before a small smile appeared on her face. “Cal,” she just muttered and shared a look with Daniel who smiled back and slowly shook his head at the daisies.

Kora groaned, “Okay, when can I meet my nephew?” she said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. She had already noticed that, to her dismay, the little crib in the corner of the room was empty.

Daniel chuckled as he crouched down by Sarah. “You want to sit with mommy?”, he asked, and when she nodded her head of bouncy curls, he picked her up and placed his daughter on Daisy’s other side. Sarah immediately curled into her mother’s side, happy and content again, and Daisy smiled at him gratefully. 

“I’ll go get your nephew, he needed to get his last shots. I’ll see if they’re ready,” Daniel calmly responded, secretly enjoying how his sister in law was visible bursting with excitement.

In a regular hospital, there was no way either Daniel or Daisy would let their baby be taken from them by a nurse without one of them supervising, both highly aware that there were still some people around who had problems with Inhumans and _especially_ with Daisy. In the official and brand new S.H.I.E.L.D. medical bay Daisy had given birth in (built especially to withstand Daisy’s or any other Inhuman powers, so she wouldn’t quake the whole hospital wing down with every contraction), every doctor and nurse were also trained agents, with an extensive background check, which comforted the pair.

Daniel then disappeared behind the door, leaving Daisy with an enthusiastic babbling Charlie, having to tell every detail about their special day with auntie Kora and Ally. “Auntie Ally sings songs but not so nice like you, mommy”, Charlie complained and Sarah nodded in agreement.

“Is that so?”

Kora giggled with a side-glance to Torres.

“I bet she gives the best hugs though, doesn’t she?” Daisy said with a wink, causing her sister and daughters to nod in agreement. 

Daniel appeared again, this time with a bundle in his arm and a wide smile on his face. “Here he is!”

Kora and Torres gasped as they stood up from their chairs and walked towards Daniel proudly showing off his son, “He’s so _cute_!” Kora gasped, tracing the little ear of the baby in Daniel’s arms. Elliot looked back at his aunts with his brown eyes as he was being shown off, clearly content with the attention he was getting. “He _really_ looks like you,” Torres added, observing Daniel as if she saw him for the first time.

“Told you,” Daisy said from the bed with a smirk.

Daniel shook his head as he walked closer to his wife. “See that little frown, that’s _all_ you,” he teased. 

Kora and Ally followed Daniel as he carefully placed the newborn in Daisy’s welcoming arms. “Charlotte, Sarah, meet your little brother Elliot,” he said. The two girls’ eyes grew wide as they took in their new sibling. 

“He’s so _little_!”, Charlie whispered.

“He’s actually bigger than you were when you were born,” Daisy commented with a smirk.

Charlie looked at her mother as if she was crazy and focused back on her little brother. “Can I hug him?”

Daisy hummed, “He’s a bit too little for that, but you can hold his hand, like this,” and brought Charlie’s hand to Elliot’s, who immediately clamped his soft little fingers around the girl’s digit, making Charlie gasp in delight. “He likes me...” she sighed, unaware of both Ally and Daniel taking her picture.

“Do you like your little brother, Sarah?” Daisy asked, not forgetting about her youngest daughter who was staring wide-eyed and intrigued at her newest sibling. Sarah reached out her little hand to where Elliot was kicking out his foot and gently touched it before staring back at her mother with a grin, murmuring “Bwother!” and held onto Daisy’s shirt again, just watching her big sister interact with Elliot. 

“Do you remember his name?”, Daniel asked while setting his camera down on the bedside table. 

“Baby Ewwiot”, Sarah murmured, still struggling with the L sound, no matter how much Kora had practiced with them during bath time, the night before.

“That’s right, his name is Elliot”, Daisy smiled and kissed both her girls on top of their heads.

In the meantime, Torres had started to take pictures of the little family on the bed, where even Daniel managed to be perched on the edge of the matrass, all enthralled with the newest addition to their family. She attempted to wipe away her tears inconspicuously with the back of her hand and exchanged a watery smile with Kora, who wasn’t much more composed than she was. She ignored the lump in her throat and the warm feeling in her stomach, and took another picture.

After some time, Daisy really felt the fatigue set in, and so was Elliot. He was hungry and overwhelmed from all the new lights and sounds, and it had gotten a bit too much. He whimpered and started to root around Daisy’s chest, looking for food and comfort.

Kora shared a look with Daisy and put on her happiest voice, telling the two girls that they had to have dinner and go home. Charlie immediately protested, not wanting to leave her parents, but after some persuading with ice cream as dessert, they were ready to leave. Daisy pressed multiple kisses on her daughters’ faces before they left with their aunties. Daisy and Daniel thanked them once again for babysitting, and in a flurry of dark hair in braids and ponytails they left.

Daisy let out a big sigh, moaning as the painkillers had worn off and she was now _very_ sore. Elliot had fallen asleep at her chest shortly after he stared to nurse, his tiredness winning over his desire to be fed, and carefully, Daisy unlatched him and handed him to his dad. She shared a look with Daniel after he had put the snoozing baby back in his basinet. “Should I be offended that our daughters were _that_ easily convinced with ice cream?” she said with a smirk. Daniel knew Daisy was masking her pain with humor and shook his head, sitting next to her on the bed. “Pretty sure they got that from their mom,” he answered, bringing her hand to his stubbly cheek and kissing the palm.

Daisy smirked and sighed, “I’m so tired, but at the same time I know I won’t be able to sleep.”

“How’s the pain?”, he asked while gently fluffing her pillow.

Daisy tilted her head at him. “Manageable.”

“So not great?”

Daisy swallowed, “He’s a _big_ baby, you know.”

Daniel wanted to comment on how he’s actually pretty average, just their first baby who was actually born full term, but shut his mouth as he didn’t think it was wise to talk back to a woman who had just given birth. He just nodded, and smiled, “Let me get a doctor for you, okay?”

Daisy sighed, feeling the duality between her pride and the pain she was currently having and eventually nodded. “Alright, thank you.”

Daniel leaned in for a kiss that unexpectedly lingered, and whispered, “Thank you, thank you so much.” Daisy didn’t need an explanation; the love in his eyes said enough. Daisy traced his bottom lip with her thumb, “Thank you for being you,” she whispered back. Daniel gave her a quick peck on the tip of her nose and got off the hospital bed with a groan. He checked on their sleeping son, before leaving to get a doctor, dragging his tired feet across the floor, but feeling his steps get lighter as he felt a grateful warmth bloom when he remembered Charlie and Sarah doting on their brother.

Daisy looked at the bouquet of daisies next to her bed that Kora had quickly gotten a vase for, shook her head slowly, and whispered “Thanks dad.” and kept staring at the flowers as her mind drifted off, feeling like she was barely awake before a very distinct chipper voice called out. 

“Anyone requested a doctor?”

Daisy gasped, “ _Simmons_?” and she blinked, hoping she wasn’t dreaming. She hadn’t seen her best friend for over a year now, seeing as traveling was hard with small children, especially with a baby, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Oh my god, Jemma!”

“Surprise!”

Daisy had immediately forgotten about being tired and sat up in the bed, ignoring the pain she felt as she did and held out her arms. Jemma happily strutted towards her friend and put her arms around her, “Congratulations! I am _so_ happy for you guys!”

Daisy blinked, “I can’t believe you’re here! How? And where’s Fitz, the kids?”

Jemma let go of their embrace and shook her head, “Mack felt bad he couldn’t come visit with Yo-Yo so he sent out a quinjet to come pick me up. Fitz had to stay with the kids, but he is sending his love.”

Daisy nodded, feeling a bit disappointed she couldn’t hug the niece and nephew she was so fond of, but smiled, “Daniel was in on it, wasn’t he?”

Jemma nodded, “He was, we wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, it sure was!” she said with a chuckle and watched Jemma walk towards the basinet, taking a peak at the sleeping baby, “Oh Daisy, he is absolutely _precious.”_

“You say that about every baby I give birth to”, Daisy joked.

“Well they are! I mean, look at this scrumptious little boy”, Jemma defended herself, sliding into a baby voice in the final words.

Daisy smiled at her best friend cooing at her sleeping son, before being interrupted by her actual doctor who talked a few things over and gave her some more painkillers, and left.

“So how was it?” Jemma asked, trying not to peek at Daisy’s chart that was hanging from the hospital bed.

“Really rough, it took _hours_. At first I was just thinking it was because the other two were preemies when they were born, but the doctor started to get worried I had to go for a C-section if it didn’t move along, but eventually there was some progress.”

Jemma nodded as she sat on the edge of the matrass, “Thank goodness for that. And now?”

“Very sore, but happy. Still beats giving birth in space.”

Jemma chuckled and shuddered, “That’s for sure.” 

They laughed at their weird shared experience of bringing life into the world… in space. “How did we even do it? No painkillers, no midwives...” Jemma said with a groan.

“...no family to dote over the baby while you eat seventeen croissants in between the endless feeds”, Daisy added with a chuckle. 

“Oh speaking of, look what I brought,” Jemma grinned and pulled a brown paper bag from her purse, its grease stain accompanying a delicious smell.

“Is that...?”, Daisy gasped, feeling her hunger over her pain. With a cheeky grin, Jemma revealed two cheese burgers, vividly recalling a hormonal Daisy sob-laughing on the phone when Sarah was two days old, exclaiming that all she wanted was a cheese burger but everyone kept making her healthy meals to quickly recover from the birth.

“I’ll eat it now, if you eat the other one,” Daisy said, already stuffing her mouth.

Jemma popped a French fry in her mouth with a smirk, “Deal.”

Giggling like schoolgirls, they feasted on the fast food, celebrating their being together this time around as Daniel peaked through the open door and smiled at the two best friends. He decided to give them a bit of alone time before joining them with his own bag of fast food Jemma had gifted him after a hug and a congratulations, before she had slipped into the hospital room.

Daniel pulled out his phone from his back pocket and with a smirk typed a text message to Mack, writing: ‘mission accomplished’ before hitting send. He let out a relieved sigh and slowly shook his head, glad the surprise worked out as they had been in a bit of a time crunch. His thoughts were soon interrupted by his own stomach growling. He put his ear to the door, the giggles had been replaced by silence with the occasional hum in appreciation for the food. Before he even had the chance to make a decision, Daisy called out to him, “Daniel, I can hear your stomach growling all the way from here! Join us!”

Daniel entered the room with a big grin on his face, happy he too could finally have a moment to eat. Daisy mouthed a ‘thank you’, which Daniel answered with a wink, before sitting down on the hospital bed. He glanced at his baby boy, smiling, and took the burger from his wrapper and held it in the air, “Happy birthday, Elliot.” he announced, resulting in Jemma and Daisy holding up their food as if it was a toast too, before they all took a bite from their well-earned burger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I LOVED writing this one, please leave a comment if you did too :) I always respond! And have a great day, until next week! x


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! This chapter is actually set before the wedding even in One Year Later! Charlie is only three months old :) I hope you guys enjoy and until next week! 
> 
> Some of you might've noticed I changed my account name on here, I wanted it to match my tumblr where you can follow me if u like! Tumblr.com/marvelsquake

“Daniel, she’ll laugh when she’s ready!”, Daisy exclaimed as she watched her fiancé hold their daughter in the air before blowing raspberries on her cheeks. The only reaction he got out of the baby was a slight smile, so Daniel repeated it, and instead of receiving the giggles he had hoped for, Charlie just reached out for his nose and grabbed it between her little chubby fingers. 

He shook his head and kissed the palm of her little hand and moved her back into his arms.

“I know, I know, the google just said she could start laughing at three months, and I really want to be there when she does,” he sighed. 

Daisy titled her head at him. After they were finally able to come back to earth, they had decided to at least take a month or two off to just focus on their newborn daughter and make the new house their home. Now that Charlie was over three months old, Daniel had picked up more hours at the lighthouse that Mack had left them both in charge of, and ever since he came back from work and found out he had missed the first time his daughter had rolled over, he started to become a bit obsessed with the milestones the internet proclaimed their daughter should reach each month. 

Daisy figured this was one of them. “I get it, but we can’t be here for every little development, or we’d have to hang up camera’s all over the house.”

“That might not be such a bad idea,” he murmured, still bouncing the baby in his arms.

“Daniel!”

“No, no, I know, I know…” and he sat down with a sigh, next to Daisy in the couch. He let his eyes wander around the living room that still was looking like a mess with pieces of furniture that still needed to be assembled around the place, and leaned back, suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed.

“It’s just when… when we were still on board of Z3, it was just us and the team and this little girl here,” he said as he rubbed the belly of the baby, who was preoccupied by playing with the edge of the couch cushion, and continued “of course we were working but she was  always close-by. And it was comforting.”

“Comforting? We were in deep space without knowing if we’d ever return home,” Daisy teased. Daniel didn’t even crack a smile back at her, and she knew he was actually truly upset, and placed her hand on his knee. “Look, I know what you mean, I struggle with it too. Even leaving her with Kora sometimes makes me miss her, but you are not a bad father for missing some of her milestones… There are many, may more to come, just this month alone… She knows you’re there for her. Just by seeing her eyes lit up when she spots you. She  knows you’re her dad.”

Daniel looked at his fiancée, appreciative of how she had this incredible way of always understanding what it was that was upsetting him, sometimes even before he knew himself, and he placed a kiss on top of the dark hair of his daughter, still in his lap. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he mumbled, “I just don’t want to be like my dad. Not that he was a bad father, he just was never around. Always working, he had no choice, of course, he had to maintain a household… I just want her to know that I’ll always be there, you know, for every recital and every happy moment and heartbreak.”

Daisy nodded and scooted a little closer to him.

“She knows, she does, look at how much she loves you,” she said with a chuckle, as she tried to rescue his grey shirt from the mouth of their drooling baby.

Daniel looked down at the dark wet patches and chuckled, “Okay, I guess someone’s hungry…” and pulled his shirt free from his daughter’s grip. “Want me to fetch a bottle, or?” 

Daisy shook her head and took Charlie from him, “No, I’ll feed her, if you could please finish our coffee table?”

Charlie whimpered a little from being let go of her father’s hold, but settled into her mother’s arms quickly, when she realized she was about to have her afternoon feed. Daniel lovingly watched his fiancée maneuver their daughter into a comfortable position for both mother and child, and with a satisfied little grunt, Charlie started to nurse. Daisy leaned back into the cushions of the couch, stroking along the baby’s dark hair, and prodding him with her socked foot. “Come on, you promised a place for my feet,” she said with a smirk, nodding at what would hopefully be a coffee table soon.

Daniel let out a mock sigh and stood up from the couch as he tried to dry the patch on his shirt, but it was no use. He didn’t actually care that much as stains were now a normal daily occurrence with an inquisitive baby and the occasional spit up, so he shrugged and sat down next to the coffee table on the floor that had been taunting him with the vague instructions and an unpronounceable Swedish name. 

As Daniel tinkered on the coffee table, taking a lot more time than he was proud to admit, he kept making funny faces and noises at Charlie who had finished her lunch. After a nice burp, she was watching her father fascinated from the safety of her mother’s lap. Her big brown eyes followed his every movement, yet the laughter he was aiming for still hadn’t come. 

“I swear her smile is polite at this point”, he jokingly muttered. “Does that count as a milestone?”

Even another round of raspberries and gentle tickling done by Daisy didn’t work.

“I guess no giggles today,” Daniel said, as he shook his head.

“She’s still happy, look how her eyes are following you! The laughter will follow once she’s ready, I’m sure of it.”

“I know, I know, she’s a happy baby,” Daniel agreed with a smile, and stood up with a grunt, making a dad-joke about how he now had no feeling in his other leg either, and proudly showed off the coffee table that had finally been assembled. 

“It looks amazing!” Daisy praised him, and lifted her legs. With a triumphant bang, she dropped her feet onto the surface of the table, causing it to wobble. Daisy’s eyes grew big, and she tried to not move an inch. Daniel ran his fingers through his hair and frowned at the instruction manual he had cast aside earlier.

“I’m sorry…” Daisy said, keeping her legs stretched out to keep the table in one piece, but to no avail, as the table came apart beneath her feet, crashing into its parts to the floor with a loud noise. Just as Daniel was about to open his mouth to say something, a shriek came from the baby in Daisy’s arms. 

Both parents held their breath, the table completely forgotten, as Charlie had her first bout of laughter. “Oh my god,” Daisy exclaimed, holding the giggling baby in the air. 

“Of course she’s entertained by destruction,” Daniel said as he shook his head. He kicked the remaining leg of the table that was still barely holding on, and as it tumbled down, Charlie burst out in more giggles. Daniel grinned at Daisy who smiled 

“Leave it to the Man Out of Time to have a daughter who likes old-timey slapstick”, Daisy sighed contently. 

Daniel smiled proudly, scooped little Charlie up from her mom’s lap, and strolled through the house. 

“If destruction is what makes you laugh, Charlotte, I am sure we can find some more furniture your daddy built...”, Daisy heard his kind voice through the baby monitor, and she chuckled while kneeling down by the instruction manual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry it is a bit short, I've been working a lot and I've been more tired lately. Was supposed to write chapter three for Familiar Faces but kinda struggling with what I want to do with it exactly, but I'll update it as soon as I am happy with it! 
> 
> Anyways! Thanks for reading and leave a comment if you like, I always respond <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Welcome back! This chapter is set after chapter 13 of this collection! Funny thing about this one-shot is that I gifted it to my lovely beta Wlammy (who is also my cousin btw lol) and she gifted me the other half of this story back. So first part is from yours truly and the second part from Wlammy :) and since I loved it so much we decided to upload it anyways. So enjoy!

“You okay, Kora?” Daisy asked, observing her sister who seemed to have zoned out completely. 

Kora blinked, and shook her head, “Oh, yeah, sorry, just thinking.” She reached into the bowl of pretzels she had been sharing with her sister. 

Daisy tilted her head, knowing something was up, and she too grabbed a handful of pretzels before popping them into her mouth. A soft grunt of dismay came from her son and she chuckled while adjusting the hold on her nursing baby. 

“So what’s up?” Daisy tried once again. 

Kora looked at her baby nephew who was fully content in the cradle of Daisy’s arm, and let out a sigh. 

“Ally brought up a subject last night we both were kind of avoiding.” 

Daisy quirked her eyebrow, “Oh, really?” 

Kora nodded, but before she was able to continue, Daniel had walked into the kitchen, playing with the keys in his hands as he smiled at the sisters. 

“I am going to pick up the girls and do some groceries, are you staying for dinner, Kora?” 

“If it’s no problem?” 

“Of course not! Ally coming?” 

Kora shook her head, “No, she has the nightshift tonight.” 

“Alright!” Daniel gave her a nod before bending down to Daisy who was seated at the kitchen island, and pecked her on the lips. “Mm, salty” he commented and went in for another quick taste, ignoring Daisy shaking her head at him. He bent down further to carefully give their baby a kiss on his forehead, not wanting to disturb his feeding too much. With a quick goodbye, he let the sisters be. 

The door hadn’t fallen shut yet or Daisy asked “So what subject?” 

Kora groaned and let out a big sigh. “Kids.” 

Daisy blinked. “Oh, really?” 

“Well yeah... We had a little moment when we were at the hospital two weeks ago when this little guy was born, but I thought it was just a nice moment.”

“So, you have never discussed having kids before?” 

Kora shrugged, “Not really, I mean, sort of, kind of, more like a possibility.” 

Daisy hummed, “Alright… so she wants kids?” 

“She does.”

“And you don’t?” 

“I just… I don’t know! I mean, I love this one,” she said, holding Elliot’s little foot in her hand, not even noticing he wore one of the many pairs of socks she bought him. “And the girls, of course! Yours are wonderful and sweet and I love them to death but I simply don’t know!” She almost knocked the bowl of pretzels off the kitchen counter in frustration. “How did _you_ know?” 

Daisy smirked, “I didn’t, never thought I would want to either, but with Daniel… it just felt right.” 

Kora let out a frustrated groan, “That doesn’t help. How do I even know I’d be a good mom? What if the baby doesn’t like me?”

Daisy chuckled, “Well, you have already been an _amazing_ aunt, they adore you!”

“Yeah, but that’s because I stuff them with candy and take them to the park! I am able to bring them back to you; you guys have to deal with the crying, the poopy diapers, the nightmares, the sleepless nights, the teething, the snotty noses, the stretch marks, the feeding…” and she looked at her nephew again who had been switched to the other breast as it had become too painful for Daisy. 

“Why do I feel that’s not really the reason you’re apprehensive?” 

“I guess I am just scared.”

“Of what?” 

“The baby being an Inhuman… like me.”

Daisy fell silent, “Ah.”

“My mom and I, we were so close and when I went through terregenisis, everything changed… well, you know how it went, and the not _knowing_ , it just scares me.” 

Daisy slowly nodded, and didn’t realize she held baby Elliot closer. “It scares me too.”

“How do you deal with it?” 

“By not thinking about it too much,” Daisy said with a wry smile, and stared down at the baby at her breast, brushing with her fingers through his soft dark hair. 

“It is scary, because you don’t want to keep them from their birth right but you also have no idea what kind of ability they’ll get, and how they’ll deal with it. I don’t even know if this little guy will have powers, since he’s kind of an anomaly” she said with a soft chuckle. 

Kora nodded, “Yeah, exactly. When I got my powers… it was just the _worst_.”

Daisy nodded, “I remember feeling the same way, but now I feel like it is a part of me, I can use it to fight, to defend myself but I can also use it to comfort my children. And I try to… see the good in it, a gift that has been passed down, not the destruction it can cause.” 

Kora let out a deep breath, “I know there are options, Ally can carry the baby or we could foster or adopt, it doesn’t have to be _me_ who carries the baby, but still.”

“I know,” 

Both sisters sat in silence, with only the occasional grunt from Elliot. 

“I just miss her,” Kora eventually confessed, “…mom.” 

Daisy hummed, “I know, I wish I could have known her like you had.”

“I’m sorry,” Kora answered, seeing the flash of hurt in Daisy’s eyes. 

“Don’t be, please, I am happy how my life turned out. I have Coulson, I have May, I have a whole family,” 

“Still.”

“Still,” Daisy repeated with half a smile. 

Kora grabbed another handful of pretzels, and shook her head, “Sorry for dumping this on you…” 

“Are you kidding? That’s what sisters are for! Also, it’s nice to talk about grown-up stuff every now and then. I hope it helped, at least,” 

Kora nodded and popped the pretzels in her mouth, taking the time it took to properly chew and swallow the snack to gather her thoughts. “It has helped, I think.” 

“Have you expressed these thoughts to Ally?” 

Kora shook her head. “No, I… I haven’t, she seemed really hurt. I think she had assumed I was on the same page after our very first talk about it. I’ll talk to her soon. Once I know what I’m gonna say.”

Daisy nodded in agreement. “She’ll understand, I am sure of it.”

Kora smiled, her dark eyes sparkling. “Yeah, she’s amazing like that.” 

Daisy smiled at her sister, who was clearly smitten. “Whatever you guys decide, I know there’s nothing you two can’t handle, you’re solid.” 

Kora smiled, “Thank you, sis.” She leaned back on the barstool, and retreated into her thoughts for a moment. 

Her mind flooded with images of a tiny baby in Ally’s arms, of carrying the tiny bundle against her chest as they visit the farmer’s market, of sleepily giving the baby a bottle as they were curled up in bed, images of a small child on a highchair trying to grip a slippery piece of banana with their tiny fingers, a little child who still has to grow into her kindergarten backpack, crooked Happy Mother’s Day art on the cork board, Ally trying to teach their kid how to play chess even though they’re too young to understand...

“But first,” she said with a smirk, “I am going to make her my wife.” 

* * *

“Does anyone have baby wipes?”, Daisy called out from the changing table in the nursery, almost causing Kora to tumble from the stepladder she was balancing on to attach a mobile to the ceiling.

“None in the kitchen!”, Daniel reported from downstairs.

“Negative for the living room!” Jemma replied.

Daisy sighed and looked at the proverbial train wreck in her baby’s diaper. “A washcloth will have to do...”

Ally’s face peeped around the door. “Look what I found in the bathroom”, she singsonged, waving a nearly empty plastic container in the air.

Daisy gratefully took it from her and wiped baby Elliot’s little butt with the four remaining squares. Tossing the container in the recycling bin by the dressing table, Daisy sighed again. “How do we always run out of baby wipes within seconds of buying a truckload of them?”

Kora finished screwing in the fixing for the dangly mobile above the crib and got off the stepladder. “It’s almost as if you have three little kids,” she remarked with a smile, while putting the screwdriver back in the toolbox, where Daniel had pristinely numbered and organized the tools Mack got him for his birthday.

With a chuckle, Daisy picked up her three-week-old son and cradled him in her arms. “It’s good to know for when you start a family: open a special bank account just for wipes,” she teased. Immediately regretting her joke, she looked back and forth from Ally to Kora. Ally blushed while looking down at her nails and Kora looked at her sister with big eyes as if to say, ‘you seriously already forgot we talked about this two days ago?’

Awkwardly, Daisy shrugged her shoulders and sent a genuine remorseful look. New-mom-brain was even more scattered than pregnancy-brain, so she didn’t feel too guilty when she left the couple behind in the nursery.

Kora unnecessarily fussed with the blankets in the crib, her back turned to Ally, whose presence she could sense strongly, even though she didn’t make a sound.

“You told her about our talk?”, Ally assumed more so than asked. “Our talk about having kids...”

Kora, still turned away, nodded. “I wanted to know how they knew to start a family.”

“And what did Daisy say?”

Kora turned around, facing her girlfriend’s unwavering eye contact.

“They didn’t know either - and she still is scared _all_ the time.”

Ally nodded slowly and approached Kora. 

“Is that why you were closed off? You are scared?”

Their fingers intertwined the way they did hundreds times before, and yet it felt special and significant in a whole new way. Kora allowed her eyes to wander over Ally’s face, her crooked nose, the big green eyes, the cheek dimple appearing as she smiled slightly, and she pictured her as a bride. She squeezed the most beloved hands and tilted her head.

“I _was_ scared.”

A wider smile carefully blossomed on Ally’s face.

“What are you saying?”

Kora inhaled deeply and let it go in a sigh. “I am saying that I want to do it. I want to be a family. Yes, I am afraid of the responsibility and of the chance we might pass on a terrible family curse... And of the money aspect, and what if you want to go back out there...”, nodding at the sky as seen through the window.

“But I really want to have a baby with you,” she concluded her confession, “someday.”

Slowly, their foreheads touched and they sighed.

“Okay, now you talk,” Kora chuckled nervously, and she looked up. 

“Come here, you,” Ally grinned, and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. “Oh, you’re trembling!” she noticed, and rubbed Kora’s arms up and down with her small but strong hands. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Kora nodded, burying her face in the nook of Ally’s neck, soaking in the love and the smell of her curly hair. 

“Can I ask...”

“Yeah?”, Kora mumbled from the safety of their embrace.

“What changed your mind? You seemed... apprehensive to say the least, when I brought it up the other day.”

Kora lifted up her head and gestured at the baby’s room around them. 

“This, all of this. There is so much... _happiness_. And you.”

“Me?”

“You think I don’t see you with my nieces, how patiently you brush their teeth while they insist on singing, and putting the ribbons in their hair for the twentieth time that day... how you rocked Elliot to sleep when Daisy had trouble sitting last week... It just made me really scared, okay?! I want to have all of that. With you. I was just petrified at the thought of not being able to. I want to give you the world but all I have are these two clumsy hands.”

Ally shook her head and chuckled. “You truly are the soft one of the two of us, aren’t you?”

Kora rested her chin back on Ally’s shoulder, and pulled her closer. “Just don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“So.” Ally pulled back a little to gaze in Kora’s warm brown eyes.

“So?”

“We’re doing this?”

Kora nodded. “We’re doing this!”

“You’d be such a cute mom”, Ally remarked with sparkly eyes, and a trail of kisses found their way to Kora’s lips, alternated with silly little words. 

Jemma’s voice from down the stairs interrupted the lovebirds. “Kora? Torres? Can either of you go to the grocery store? I am a princess and can’t leave.”

“Auntie Jemma is a pwincess!”, Sarah’s little voice cheered in the hallway, followed by Charlie’s impatient demand the princesses were to return to the living room immediately. 

“Yeah, no worries!”, Kora yelled, while covering Ally’s ears. Looking back at her girlfriend, she smiled. “Wanna do me the honour of buying baby wipes with me, Allison Torres?”

“I thought you’d never ask”, Ally grinned. 

After another kiss, the couple headed downstairs.

“Oh, and by the way,” Ally said.

“Yeah?”

“I love your clumsy hands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I have a couple more days off (finally) so I am aiming for the fourth and last chapter of Familiar Faces next Thursday, if not, than I still have a cute prequel to One Year Later one-shot ready :)
> 
> Leave a comment if you enjoyed, comments and kudos do really do keep me motivated to write even when exhausted from work lol, I always answer them too <3 until next week!!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small surprise ficlet I decided to write, it's somewhere set in the One Year Later fic I guess, haha. Enjoy :)

“Daniel! Look at this!” 

Daniel halted the rhythmic typing he had been doing on his beloved typewriter and looked over his shoulder. There he saw his fiancée lying on her back with a beaming smile on her face. The last time he had checked on her, she had been napping on their bed, lulled to sleep by the comforting sound of him typing up rapports. But now she was wide-awake, the tips of her fingers roaming the large expanse of her stomach. 

The expression on Daniel’s face went from confused to absolute awe when he finally understood what she was alluding at. He took off the reading glasses that were still balanced on his nose and made his way over to the bed, kneeling next to the prominent baby bump on display. He had already been able to feel his unborn daughter kick for a little while now, just soft taps against the palm of his hand, but all of a sudden the outline of a little foot was clearly visible through the taut tank top Daisy had been wearing. 

“May I?” he asked giddy and Daisy nodded with a grin, giving him permission, and so he carefully pushed the hem of her shirt over the curve of her belly, revealing the bare skin of her stomach. They both eagerly waited with bated breaths for their daughter to once again let her presence known by kicking out a leg (or maybe a knee?) but this time instead of a little foot, it was a little hand pressing up from the inside out. 

“It kind of looks freaky,” Daisy said with a chuckle, pushing back with her finger, “a bit like an alien.” 

Daniel shook his head and looked her in the eye, “We’ve seen aliens, and they are _not_ as cute as this.” And he joined in on the ‘game’ of poking back, getting rewarded by an instant reaction from their daughter, which made the parents gasp in delight. 

After a while it became clear that their baby had gotten enough of the little game and had called it a day. Ceasing her movements.

“Think she’s fallen asleep…” Daisy murmured as she moved her hand from her belly to the side of Daniel’s face and lovingly brushed her hand through his curly hair. Daniel nodded, not yet looking up, and placed a kiss just below her belly button that only recently had become an outie, “Can’t wait to meet you, baby girl.” He mumbled, and just as careful as before, he pulled the hem of Daisy’s shirt back over the curve of her belly as if he was tucking his daughter in for the night. 

Daisy let out a shuttering breath and Daniel looked up at Daisy, who just shook her head at him, 

“What?” he asked with a soft chuckle.

“I love you, that’s all.”

Daniel’s smile broadened “I love you too,” and brushed his hand once again along the curve of her belly, “And our alien baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great weekend, i'll be uploading on Thursday as well!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and let me know if you liked it! Will be uploading two next week, so make sure to follow if you wanna stay updated! :)


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